Let Go of Yesterday
by AaleXxXandrA
Summary: My first Naruto fic. It takes place during the Third Great Shinobi War. A mysterious disappearance of a rich land. A girl with no past and an uncomon blood limit jutsu. What secret are being hidden in this time of war?
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: **My first fic outside Digimon. We'll see how it turns out to be.

Just so everyone is aware of when this is taking place:

For everyone who's seen Naruto's Shippuden episode 119 you must know that at this point Minato, Rin, Kakashi and Obito where on a mission to take down Kannabi's Bridge which was located somewhere in Kusagakure (the village hidden in the grass). So the story start **after **Minato has killed a weird looking Stone Village ninja.

For those who've never seen this episode you can either watch it here: .com/watch/617-Naruto_Shippuuden_Episode_119/ or keep reading. The main plot of the episode takes place during the **Third Great Shinobi World War** that was between of Konohagakure (the village hidden in the leaves) and Iwagakure (the village hidden in the rocks)that it's been suggested to have started because of the missing of The Third Kazekage which is that Hokage of Sunagakure (the village hidden in the sand). Konoha and Iwagakure eventually began fighting across Kusagakure (the village hidden in the grass). At this point Minato, Rin, Kakashi and Obito are on a sabotage mission to take down Kannabi's Bridge, which is located somewhere in Kusagakure. Minato told his team that he'll make diversion for them. This story starts when traveling through a forest of weird fungus like trees the group encounter an Iwagakure. Kakashi tried to take him down by using a new jutsu but was eventually defeated Minato, who rescued Kakashi and then killed the Iwakagure ninja.

**A few things to take notice:**

Kakashi's dad is not dead as of yet.

Obito does not die.

Kushina is one of the leaders of the ANBU.

**Also;**

I'm sorry about the No Title thing for now, but I've been cracking my brain over how to name this story, but nothing comes to mind. I'll be getting an idea as the story progress, like I did with The Ground Below Her, so just bare with me. _Any _kind of suggestion is welcomed!

* * *

**Let Go of Yesterday  
**

**1. Prologue  
**

There was a loud metal hitting wood sound that made some birds fly away from their nest.

Rin looked up from Kakashi's shoulder momentary but turned her attention back to her job. She was trying her best to keep her touch gentle but the looks on Kakashi's face made it clear that the wound was deep.

"Kakashi's wound is serious…" Minato Namikaze said landing on his feet expertly looking at his team in concern. "Well retreat and regroup."

"I'm all right!" Kakashi said stubbornly looking over his shoulder at his Sensei.

"No you are not!" Obito Uchiha said looking down at this team mate. "All because you ignored Sensei's warnings and charged ahead!"

"I don't need to listen to that." Kakashi said looking at Obito boredly. "Not from the 'Uchiha Elite' who was whining in fear back there!"

Obito was a little surprised at this. He wondered how Kakashi had managed to see his tears while he was fighting. He tensed up and thought of a quickl reply. "I-I got something in my eye and started tearing up, that's all!"

"Do you know the 25th rule of Shinobi Conduct? The rule says a ninja must not show tears!"

Obito tensed up again and was about to shot a reply when Rin cut him off. "Hey… Stop it, you two…"

"That's enough, both of you!" Their Sensei's deep voice stopped them from biting their heads off. The three of them looked up at Minato's frowned brow. Now that he was sure he had their attention he continued. "Kakashi, rules and regulations are indeed important. But that isn't everything. Didn't I teach you…? There are times when the situation requires impromptu responses against the enemy."

Kakashi looked down ashamed.

"There, you see?" Obito pointed at him, glad that their Sensei supported his argument.

"Obito, you too!" Minato looked at him sternly. Obito turned around. "There's no way dust can get into your eyes when you have goggles on. If you are going to advocate self-control don't just mouth the words. Act strong too." Obito looked down ashamed. "And another thing…Kakashi you shouldn't use that jutsu anymore. From what I could see, your focal point concentrated attack undoubtedly has power and speed, but it makes you move too fast to ascertain the opponent's counterattack. It's still an imperfect jutsu."

Kakashi's eyes shot opened at this.

"Before we part I'll tell you one more thing." Minato frowned, clearly not proud of his team. "For a ninja, the most important thing is team work."

Obito's, Rin's and Kakashi's eyes shot opened at this and looked down at the ground, ashamed of their actions in their own way.

Minato looked down at this team. Maybe he had been a little too hard on them. He hadn't meant it to sound so stern, but this was a war and they couldn't afford any more mistakes. He smiled at them reassuringly and bent down to pick his bag. "We should get going before that Iwagakure ninja's team shows up."

Kakashi pulled himself up but stopped midways looking at his right and tensing up.

"What is it?" Obito asked not sure of his team mate reaction.

"Someone's approaching at high speed toward us." Kakashi replied in his emotionless voice.

Minato smiled at his student but he, quickly, tensed up too. "Quick dodged down before they see us. We can't afford another fight with Kakashi's arm in these conditions."

There was a big explosion making some of trees bark fly toward their direction. "Dodge!" Minato yelled jumping down on his students, covering them with his body.

"Where are you?" they heard a sin song voice call.

"Is it them?" Obito whispered Minato, voicing his Sensei's thoughts.

"I don't think so, but just stay calmed. I'll-" there was another big explosion making Minato bend down his head even more.

Rin looked at her Sensei in worry. What if it was the Iwagakure army? Minato seemed to read her thoughts and smiled at her. "Don't worry Rin. I don't think the whole Iwagakure army would come after just us." Unluckily for Rin, that didn't comforted her much.

A few minutes passed since the last explosion and everything seemed to be calmed. Minato looked at his team and nodded, letting them know that he would go and investigate. He rose from his sitting position behind a big trees' branch and looked around cautiously. He couldn't afford to be spotted right now.

"Tch…!"

"You are in no condition to fight us. You should just give up already!"

"Ha…and give lose to pleasure to see your face when I do this!"

"You bitch! How did you do that with your wounds?"

"Good night."

Minato looked around to see the owners of the voices. All he could see from the distance he was standing on, was a girl with a white coat and waist length red hair holding a few shuriken in her hands. He couldn't see anything from his current spot, so he cautiously moved from behind the trees branch closer to the girl. He looked forward and saw a few Iwagakure ninja laying on the ground before her, with their backs completely soaked from blood.

Minato looked down at his team and motion for them to stay put. He climbed up the tree branch trying his best to not make a sound but a few shuriken were thrown his way. He dodged them easily, pointing out that girl's wounds were preventing her from using her full strength, but he still had to be careful. He ran forward as fast as he could, making the girl throw more shuriken his way, being able to leave a cut in his left cheek but appeared behind the girl's back in a instant. She was about to turn around and stab him with her kunai but he was faster, burying his on her neck.

"Stay still." He ordered in a whisper.

The girl grinned at this. "What are you waiting for? An invitation?" she replied sarcastically.

Minato frowned and was about to stab her in the throat when he noticed her half scattered porcelain mask. He could see the upper left part of her face. He pulled his Kunai from her throat, allowing her to turn around to stab him instead but, he grabbed her arm before she could even lay hands on him. He thank his luck that she was so badly injured otherwise he would have a hard time dealing with her.

The girl moaned in pain loudly and clenched her stomach falling to her knees making the mask fall off. She spit some blood. Gravity took the best of her and nex thing Minato knew, she was on the ground unconcious.

Minato knew she had fainted. He quickly bent down to look at her wounds. They were worse than he thought. "Rin!" he called for his student. "Quickly I need you here!"

Rin stood up from her position behind the tree branch and looked to where her Sensei was kneeling holding a girl in his arms. She hurried her way over.

Kakashi stood up and jumped toward where Rin was heading too, looking down at the girl.

"Sensei, who is she?" Obito asked arriving at the scene last. He winced seeing the girl's wounds.

Rin took out her medical kit and checked her pulse making sure that it was still stable.

"She's from the ANBU **(1)**." Kakashi said taking the mask in his hands. "You should know that by know Obito."

Obito drew back slightly. "How am I supposed to know that? She isn't even wearing a hitai-ate **(2)**!"

"Exactly." Kakashi said looking at him boredly. "They are an elite group inside the village. They wear porcelain masks instead, and judging by her coat's color she must be a squad leader."

Minato looked over at his student rather impressed. He couldn't expect less from Sakumo Hatake's son. Obito was about to shot a reply but was cut off by Minato.

"We should move. Judging by her wounds I must say that she must have had a difficult fight with the enemy. We are in no condition to fight them and we can't afford getting ambushed. We must move to a safer place. Rin how are her wounds?"

"The ones in her stomach are the deepest ones but I manage to stop the bleeding. Other than that, just a few broken ribs and a few scratches in her arms and legs. Her pulse is stable."

Minato nodded looking over at his options. "We'll move forward toward the edge of the forest near an open field. Rin I must request you to try and treat her wounds as much as you can. I'll stay with you guys until tomorrow evening. Once she wakes up, you are required to move and complete your mission. Any questions?"

Obito raised his hand. "Yes, Obito?"

"Do we just leave her there?" he asked.

Minato sighed. "We have no other option Konohagakure's military forces are weak right now. We are counting on you to destroy the bridge at all cost. I'll join you guys as soon as I can."

"But-"

"Don't worry Obito. I'm sure that by tomorrow someone from the ANBU will come looking for her." Minato cut him off taking the girl in his arms and standing up. "Let's go we don't have much time left."

Rin, Kakashi and Obito nodded following their Sensei.

* * *

Minato was sitting on a rock looking over at the full moon above him. It was quite a peaceful night and he was thankful that they had managed to rush over without encountering the enemy. He looked over his shoulder toward his team who were sleeping at the foot of the rock. They had collapsed after dinner. It was clear that they were still too young for such responsibility, even Kakashi who was now a Jounin, but they were under direct orders from Third and Konoha needed them. He just hoped that tomorrow everything would go smoothly. He heard soft moaning and turned his head the other way were the girl was sleeping on his sleeping bag. He couldn't see her face since she was turned to her side, her back facing him.

Minato got up slowly and approached her carefully, knowing well that she would shot him if he wasn't careful around her. When he got to her side he was received by the feeling of a kunai on his neck. He smirked at the thought.

"Don't you have any other way of immobilizing your enemy?" he asked teasingly.

The girl just looked at him with the coldest stare he had ever seen. "Who are you?" she asked sitting up slowly. "Why did you help me?"

"You're welcome. Are you feeling better? How are your wounds feeling?"

"Just answer my question!" the girl threatened burying the kunai deeper on his neck.

Minato lowered his gaze to hers. "I'm Minato Namikaze a Jounin from Konoha."

The girl looked at him for a few minutes but lost her drip on her kunai letting herself fall back down on the sleeping bag. Minato glared at her.

"Why didn't you attack me?"

The girl snorted. "I _know _what your mission is. There's no point of killing one of my comrades."

Minato looked at her skeptically. "Why would-?"

"The third sent you this." Kushina interrupted him, giving him a sealed parchment with the Third Hokage's insignia.

Minato took it, reading its contents and his face dropping a little. _'What?' _"Are you sure about this?" he looked up at the girl.

She just shrugged her shoulders. "I'm just a messenger." She said.

Minato fell back slightly, sitting on the grass. He sighed. Suddenly the parchment began burning up. He looked back at the girl.

"Hey I never caught you name." he said suddenly.

The girl looked at him skeptically. "Humph, like I would tell you, of all people, my name."

Minato glared at the girl. "You owe me. If it wasn't for _us_ you would be dead by now." He didn't mean to sound so arrogant, but this girl was getting on his nerves.

The girl just glared at him. "Kushina." She said simply.

Minato glanced at her. "_What?_" he asked.

_Glare_. "My _name_ is Kushina. Kushina Uzumaki."

Minato looked at her strangely. "_What?_" Kushina asked, glaring at him once again.

"No-Nothing. It's just that I always thought you'd be-"

"Older?" Kushina asked looking at him.

Minato only nodded wondering if his thoughts were that obvious. "Don't worry I get that _a lot_."

Minato smiled and sat beside her. "How old are you?" he found himself asking, regretting the rudeness of his question, knowing perfectly well that women didn't like to be asked about their age.

Kushina glanced at him, smiling softly and turned her gaze up toward the moon again. "I'll turn 18 in July."

Minato gaped at her. "What? Seriously?"

Kushina punched his arm playfully. "What's with that face? You are no older than I am Mr. Konoha's Yellow Flash."

Minato blushed slightly and looked down. Shaking his head a bit he looked back at her. "How are you wounds?" he asked her.

Kushina blinked a few times, trying her best to understand what exactly had he just asked her. "Oh! That…" she touched her stomach gently. "I think they are just fine. It doesn't hurt that bad."

Minato nodded reaching out to her, but his hand was slapped away. "What are you doing?" Kushina asked, looking at him.

Minato blinked. "Checking to see if you need new bandages." Kushina made a face. "What?" he asked her, when he saw her face cringed.

Kushina just glared at him and stood up, from her place on the floor. "What were you doing on such dangerous place?" she asked him instead.

Minato leaned back on his palms looking at the moon. "We were supposed to head toward Kannabi Bridge and destroy it; but we were ambushed by an Iwagakure shinobi and then you appeared." He looked back at her.

Kushina nodded turning her back at him and looking at the moon.

Minato was about to ask her what was _she _doing in such a place, since I didn't seem like she was just delivering a message from the Hokage, when he saw her tense up. "What's wrong?" he asked, standing up and walking over to her.

He was about to put a hand on her shoulder and she pushed him away from her and jumped a few steps away, avoinding some kunai that were thrown in her direction. Minato took his own kunai from his pocket and was about to throw it, when Kushina stopped him, catching a red kunai in mid air. He just looked at her in awe. There weren't many people skillful enough to stop such an attack.

"There's no need to be aggressive." She mocked looking over to some trees.

Minato saw how three shadows jumped down and walked over to them._ 'ANBU? What are they doing here?'_ Minato thought as he saw three ninja with their rightful ANBU masks walking over to them.

They bowed respectfully at them, and straighten up.

"We have a message from Lord Hokage." One of them said.

Kushina turned her body, fully facing them now.

"…"

"Yes?" Kushina asked, clearly losing her patients at their silence.

The ANBU looked at each other. "We would like to discuss it in private actually." One of them said, looking over his shoulder toward the sleeping Obito, Rin and Kakashi.

Minato glanced at them hurriedly, and nodded walking away a few steps.

What appeared to be leader nodded the other two and motion for Kushina and Minato to follow him. They walked a few steps away and turned toward each other.

"Well first I have some bad news." He said looking over at Kushina. "I'm afraid to inform you that Kensua perished in the hands of the enemy."

Kushina's fists clenched tightly, trying to make her body stop from shaking. "I see." She said in a calm voice.

"This is the only thing that we were able to rescue from the body." The ANBU ninja said handling her a small medal.

"Thank you." She said. "I'll make sure his family gets it."

Minato looked at her sympathically. "What's the news from Lord Hokage?" he asked trying to change the subject.

"Yes," the ANBU ninja said. "Team Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki Senpai must return back to the village as soon as possible."

"_What? Why?" _they both asked at the same time.

The ANBU ninja shrugged his shoulders and handle Minato a sealed parchment. He opened it and read it, his face dropping.

"We'll leave in the morning then." He nodded politely at them.

The ANBU ninja bowed respectfully and disappeared, leaving Minato and Kushina standing there. Minato looked over his shoulder, wondering if any of his team members had woken up, but sighed in relief when he saw them still asleep. He turned around quickly when he heard Kushina fall on her knees.

"I know the 25th rule of Shinobi Conduct." She said whispered.

Minato kneeled down besides her.

"But just this once," she said covering her eyes with her hand. "Let me break such rule."

* * *

**Author's Note: **Ok I know it's weird for me write anything but Taiora, but I started watching Naruto Shippuden and I just totally fell in love with the Minato/Kushina couple! They are just so cute! So while watching Kakashi's tribute episode I had an idea about making my own Minato/Kushina fic.

**(1)** The ANBU is an organization of assassination squads that serves directly under the village's leader. ANBU are considered the elite, and they perform high-ranked and dangerous missions**  
(2) Hitai-ate: **is the forehead protector they give the ninja that finally graduate from the Ninja Academy. They are usually ark blue and have a metal plate in the middle with their village's official symbol.


	2. What Dreams Hide

**Let Go Of Yesterday**

**2. What Dreams Hide  
**

"_So what are you going to do?"_

_The girl with long red hair looked down at him. Then she looked back at the lights below her. "Things change…" was her simple answer._

_The guy looked up at her. "I know but-" he tried getting frustrated. "So you are just going to stand aside and watch how things develop? Aren't you going to do _anything_ at all?"_

_The wind blew gently, making her hair and her dress dance with its rhythm. She didn't look back at him. She knew that if she did she'd reveal her real emotions. Things she had been trying to suppress would come flowing back. _

"_Last time we spoke I told him about my intentions. He knows I'm leaving."_

"_But don't you think that maybe he was just-" the guy tried in vain, never getting up from his sitting position._

"_What? He's not the kind of guy who does things without thinking. If he didn't stop me or said anything about the matter is because…because…" she tried finishing the sentence but she knew that she couldn't say it._

_The guys gaze softened. He knew what she was trying to say. "So you are really leaving, huh?" he asked looking down at the city lights. _

"_I have no choice." She said. _

"_You are wrong, people always have a choice. You just chose the easiest one."_

_The girl smiled bitter sweetly at his words. "I'm that easy to read, huh?"_

_The guys smiled at her. "No, I just know you well enough." _

_They fell silent. _

"_I'm going to miss this place. _

"_It's going to miss you too." _

"_Do you think I'm doing the right thing?" _

_The guy looked at her. "I think that…you have to learn to deal with change, otherwise you'll never be able to move on, and then you'll be cursed to live in the past." _**(1)**

* * *

"Here they come!"

"Secure the main gate! Don't let them enter the village!"

Minato landed on his feet expertly at the very edge of the village's great wall. He looked down at the enemy's armed forces. There were about 1,000 ninja looking at Konoha's great walls, ready to attack.

'_This is bad.' _Minato thought. How on earth had they gotten there? It was possible that their spies in the border would have been killed, but _all_ of them? There were even some ANBU ninja guarding the land of Fire borders. Although fighting 3 to 1,000 was a great disadvantage. He looked to his right when he felt someone landing next to him. It was an ANBU Capitan.

"Can you take them?" he asked Minato, looking down at the shadows of the enemy.

"I can take about 100 maybe more, but not all of them." Minato said laying his backpack on the wall's floor.

The ANBU ninja nodded. "We'll prepare for the diversion then. Attack at my signal." And with that he disappeared.

Minato looked over his shoulder to the now chaotic village. The Genin's were asked to take the villagers to Konoha's library atop of the Hokage monument. He forced himself to tear his eyes from the village and concentrate on the enemy, which had stopped about a mile away from the village's walls. He frowned looking intently for any signs of movement, but it was harder with just the moon's partial light.

The ANBU Capitan that he had talked with earlier appeared at his side once again. "We have about 50 shinobi atop of the village's walls waiting for your signal." He said looking down at Minato.

Minato nodded. "Tell them to throw this kunai at the enemy's side concurrently." He said giving the ANBU Capitan his special marked kunai.

The ANBU Capitan disappeared once again and Minato braced himself for battle.

* * *

Minato pushed his kunai on the back of an Iwagakure's ninja. He fell to the floor a few seconds later. Jumping away from the body, Minato landed on a tree's branch, hiding himself inside the leaves. He was panting slightly.

'_There's about 600 men left but just 32 of us.'_ Minato thought looking at the enemy. _'I should head back to the village and come up with a plan.'_ He nodded to himself and formed a seal in his hand, disappearing from his current spot.

* * *

"This is not looking good." A konoha's jounin said looking down at the enemy. Even thought Minato had wipped out almost half of the enemy's forces, there were still out numbered. "What should we do now?" he asked looking at the ANBU Capitan right next to him.

The ANBU shinobi looked down at him ready to answer when Minato appeared besides him. Both of them turned to look at him.

"So there are about 600 men left. They still have some a fair amount of ammo and I could catch a glimpse of what looked like some explosive tags. We should regroup and come up with some kind of defense barrier." Minato said looking at the ANBU Capitan seriously.

The ANBU shinobi nodded, forcing himself to think of something fast. Before he could even open his mouth to shout some orders, they heard a giant explosion east from where they were standing. The enemy had started to attack with the exploding tags. It was clear that they were trying to make a whole on the wall so they could advance inside the village.

"We need to focus our defense on that side of the wall or else they'll make that side crumble down and they'll have access to the village." The ANBU Capitan said making sure his voice was loud and clear.

"No." Minato said suddenly. "It's a diversion. They know we are outnumbered so they want to force us on one side so they can attack on the weaker guarded side of the wall. We need to concentrate on making the enemy retreat back rather than giving them an opportunity to attack."

The ANBU Capitan looked at him. "But we don't have enough jounin to cover the diameter of the village's walls." He said.

Minato frowned. _'This is bad.'_ Minato thought. He opened his mouth to speak once again but was cut short when there was a giant explosion behind them. Minato and the ANBU Capitan looked over their shoulder, watching as one of the houses near the village's walls explode. The Iwagakure shinobi clearly had long rage explosives.

"We need to make sure that they don't throw long rage explosive toward the wall. Their force is stronger and they could break it in a single blow." Minato said calmly, analyzing their options.

"What's the status?" a familiar voice was heard from behind him.

Minato turned around surprised. His eyes widen when his eyes came across a rather familiar face. He shocked his head getting over his shock. "Kushina?" he said looking over at her.

The ANBU shinobi bowed respectfully. "There are about 600 men left, but we are down to 32. They are currently attacking the east side of the wall with explosive tags, while throwing long rage explosives at the village." He resumed looking at her.

Kushina nodded registrating the information in her head. "Has there been any infiltration to the village by the enemy?" she asked.

"No." Minato said stepping forward. "We believe that they are using the explosives as a diversion so a small group of shinobi can infiltrate."

Kushina nodded once again. "We need to stop the long rage explosive from reaching another building in the village. Even thought everyone is safe at the library we can't be sure. We can't afford more causalities." Both Minato and the ANBU Capitan nodded.

Kushina, Minato and the ANBU Capitan looked back down at the Iwagakure shinobi. It was clear that their current number of alive shinobi did not help. They couldn't face the enemy face to face since they didn't have any men. This require for drastic measures.

"How many water affinity shinobi do we have left?" Kushina asked never taking her eyes of the enemy.

"Around 4 or 5, maybe less." The ANBU Capitan answered looking at her.

"Tell them too meet me at the village's entrance." She ordered. The ANBU Capitan nodded bowing. He disappeared a second later.

"What do you have in mind?" Minato asked, looking at the side of her face.

"Can you make a diversion?" Kushina ignored his question.

Minato raised an eyebrow. "What kind of diversion?" he asked.

"Just make sure they don't notice us at the front gate." And with that Kushina disappeared.

Minato frowned, but did as he was ordered.

* * *

Three Konoha jounins stood in front of the village's gates. There were looking at the red head in front of them to give them the signal. After a few minutes Kushina raised her hand.

"Suiton: Sui nohara."**(2) **The three of them yelled at the same time making a few seals with their hands.

There was a huge explosion making the ground they were standing on crumble. A huge wave of water launched forward toward the enemy's troops. The ground was covered in a large pool of water.

"Ok. Retreat or else you'll get caught too." Kushina said, quickly forming some seals with her hands. The three of them nodded jumping out of the pool of water.

"Hyōton: Haryū Mōko." **(3)** Kushina said pushing her hands forward. A giant ice dragon appeared behind her. Kushina moved her hands again making the dragon behind her dove in the pool of water freezing it instantly.

The water, that had been covering most of the ground in front of the village's walls, began to freeze at a fast speed, making anything that came in contact with it envelope itself in thick ice blanket. The Iwagakure's shinobi, who had ignore the pool of water below them, began to walk backwards, trying to keep themselves away from the now frozen water. The front troops were soon enveloped in a thick layer of ice.

"Everyone retreat!" An Iwagakure's shinobi yelled, trying to keep some of the backup teams away from the ice. Before he could even mouth another word, the Iwagakure shinobi was caught in the thick blanket of ice.

Kushina smiled weakly, trying to control her now heavy breathing, glad that she had enough chakra to complete that attack. She was about to turn around and jump on top of the main gate's roof where everyone was waiting for her, when suddenly her legs turned jell-o. She blinked a few times, trying her best to keep her head from spinning. She fell on her knees splashing some water into her face. 'I need to get out of here or else I'll be frozen.' She thought, forcing her body to get up.

Kushina leaned her arm on her right knee, forcing her left over energy to help her with the task of even getting up, but froze dead in her tracks when she found that her feet where being freeze by the second. _'Damn it!' _She thought. She closed her eyes for a brief second and formed some seals in her hands. _'Katon: Endan.'_ **(4) **Kushina knew that she didn't have enough chakra to make a big fire ball, but she used the small bullets to unfreeze the left foot. She jumped in the air quickly landing on her knees atop of the main entrance roof, where everyone else was watching as Iwagakure's army was being frozen.

Kushina smiled slightly getting up from her kneeling positing but quickly her knees gave her away, making her fall back. She closed her eyes tightly waiting for the hit, when a pair of strong arms enveloped her in a hug, lifting her gently. She looked up, expecting it to be one of the ANBU shinobi, but her eyes opened wide when she found Minato looking down at her worriedly.

"Are you ok…? ...Kushina…" his voice sounded faded.

Kushina opened her mouth to reply, but before she could even utter a word, her mind went black.

* * *

"…and that's where we found Kushina laying unconscious before us. Rin gave her first aid." Minato finished his report on his last mission, looking over at the third.

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded; looking over at Minato's calm face carefully. "I see. Thank Rin on my part, later." He said, taking his pipe in one hand. "For now your team will be on standby."

Minato nodded. He bowed and prepared to leave when he was stopped by the third.

"Minato…" Sarutobi started.

Minato turned looking at him directly, waiting for the Hokage to finish his sentence.

"Was Kushina that badly injured?" he asked, letting worry take over his eyes.

Minato was a little surprised by this. "Why do you ask?"

The third Hokage looked at Minato. "During the attack of Iwagakure to the village, she was partly responsible for taking the Iwagakure army without any help. There were reports that she fainted after using her Ice Release. She has taken bigger and better armed army's in the past by herself. Something like this would've been nothing if she was in full condition. That's why I ask you, since you seem the closest to her."

Minato looked at the third Hokage carefully trying to figure out the emotion that was being played in his superior's eyes. "She…" he stopped for a minute trying to choose his words carefully. "When we encounter the Iwagakure shinobi, we were about to retreat and come up with a new plan of attack, then we heard a huge explosion and I told my team to duck. Afterwards I found Kushina lying on the ground with deep wounds in her stomach. Like I said before, she was giving first aid by Rin, but I wouldn't know just how sever they were, internally I mean."

Sarutobi nodded, understanding what Minato had said. "You tell me she's at the hospital right now?"

"Yes. Tsunade-sama is checking on her right now." Minato nodded.

"Minato, could you...?"

"Keep an eye on her?" Minato finished smiling slightly.

Sarutobi sighed. "Just make sure she doesn't get into too much trouble. OK?"

Minato nodded once again. He bowed and walked over to the door, but before he could open it, he turned around once again, looking at the third in the eyes. "If you excuse my impertinency," Minato started not really knowing how to continue. "Just…who is she?"

Sarutobi raised an eyebrow at this. "I thought you guys were good friends." he said, dodging the blonde's question.

"We are somewhat, but she's really aloof. She doesn't talk about her home or her family. I know she's not from Konoha because there's never been such kekkei genkai **(5)** known in the village."

Sarutobi looked at Minato carefully, his expression had changed from worried to completely sedated, like he didn't want to betray his emotions. "Maybe I shouldn't be talking about this so freely, but you are Kushina's friend and I want you to know." Minato nodded. "You're right she's not from here. She's a Noir **(6) **ninja."

Minato's usual cool expression went out the window. His eyes shot opened at the revelation. "But if she's…what is she…what is she doing here exactly?"

"What I tell you must not leave this room. A few to little people know who she really is." Sarutobi said, looking at Minato seriously. "All we know about her is that she originates from one of the Royal Families in the Land of Whirlpool. She came to us about a year ago. She didn't know who she was, where she had come from or what had happened to her. We've been trying, by her own request off cores, to read her mind and see what we can find about her, but there's been no luck."

"The Land of Whirlpool? Didn't it…?"

Sarutobi nodded. "She's the only known survivor."

Minato nodded, returning to his old calm expression. "What exactly happened to the Land of Whirlpool?" he couldn't help but ask.

"We are not sure. We have some ANBU squads investigating." Sarutobi's expression changed to one of concern once again. "Minato please take care of her, and let me know if something out of the ordinary happens."

"She…she always seem to be sad though." Minato couldn't help but point out.

"Yes. Everything about her seems gloomy, her eyes, her way of speaking; even her smile seems to have a dark side to it." Sarutobi agreed. "I'll assign her to become part of your team."

Minato eyes opened. "Wouldn't that be a downfall for her?"

Sarutobi smiled at this.

"Nah. I'll be a good addition to your team."

* * *

"_I l-l-love…y-you." he shuttered, smiling at her. He tried to ignore the shooting pain on his chest that was enabling him from speaking correctly. "Please d-d-don't cr-y-y-y. It only will m-make…this…more" moan "painful." _

_A red haired girl shocked her head, not wanting to believe that this was happening. Her eyes were soaking wet with tears. "Don't you dare leave just yet!" she warned him, taking his hand in hers and squeezing it shut. "Back up will be here any second! Just wait a few more minutes!"_

_The guy closed his eyes for a brief moment trying to conceal the pain; the he opened his eyes once again and gazed at her. It pained him to know that she was in such state because of him. It pained him to know that he was the cause of such pain. _

"_It will be alright," he said, trying his best to smile again. "Everything will be alright." He finished, raising his hand to her cheek, brushing away her tears. _

_The girl shocked her head, squeezing his hand tighter. "You can't leave! Not now! Stay!" she pleaded him._

_His gray eyes looked at her sadly. "I just want one more thing…before…bef-f-fore I…leave-" he was cut short, spitting some blood. _

"_Don't speak!" The girl demanded. "Save your energy. They will be here soon!"_

"_Could you…" there was a painful moan, but he dismissed it with a strange smile. "Could you smile for me…even…ugh even if it is for one last time. I w-w-w-ant to see your smile one last time." _

_The girl tried her best to smile through the tears. "Just don't leave me yet. You have to keep on living-" _

"_I wish I had told you sooner," he interrupted her. "I would've…I would've…taken you out on a date." _

"_Baka," the girl said smiling at this. "You just stay with me and I promise you that we will, but you have to stay. You can't leave!"_

_The guy smiled at this, closing his eyes. "I would've liked that." He yelped out painfully. "It's time." _

"_What?" the girl asked, squeezing his hand again. _

"_I was glad that…I saw you smiled…even if it was…one last time." And with that his hand, which had been stroking her cheek feel to the ground, soundlessly. _

"_No!" The girl yelled. "No! No! Nooooo!"_

* * *

Kushina sat up in bed suddenly, her covers falling off. She shocked her head furiously. _'A dream.' _She thought. _'It was just a dream.' _

Kushina looked to her right, when an unfamiliar light illuminated the room for just a brief moment. _'It's raining?'_ she thought getting out of bed to walk over to the window. _'But just yesterday it was still sunny.' _

Kushina put a hand on the now cold window and watched as her body heat left a hand print on it. She shocked her head again when another thunder was heard. _'It was just a dream. Just relax.' _She told herself, once again.

"But," Kushina asked no one in particular. "If it was just a dream, why do I feel like I've lived it before?"

* * *

**Author's Note: **Ok so not much of an advance but, I like how this turned out to be. Just keep an eye for the next chapter. :P

**(1)** takeru-san(dot)deviantart(dot)com/art/Self-Conclusion-139185579. The idea came to me while looking at that. Don't forget to replace the (dot) with actual dots. Oh by the way, this is a dream by someone. Can't tell you who it is, just now.**  
(2) Suiton: Sui Nohara: **Water Element: Water Field.**  
(3) Hyōton: Haryū Mōko: **Ice Element: Tearing Dragon Fierce Tiger.**  
(4) Katon: Endan:** Fire Release: Flame Bullet**  
(5) Kekkei Genkai: **a technique limited to inheritance by blood or "Bloodline Limit".**  
(6) Noir Ninja:** I know that there's no such thing as Noir ninja in the Naruto world, but I just decided that there would be one in this story. I'll explain everything about Noir Ninja's later on. Noir = black in French.

On further news Happy Birthday to me. XD


	3. Friends

**Let Go Of Yesterday**

**3. Friends**

"…and from now on Kushina is going to be on our team." Minato finished, looking down at his team. He smiled slightly seeing the different reactions from the three young students.

Kakashi look rather indifferent, like he always did. Obito blushed slightly, too shy to look at the pretty red head in the eyes and Rin's eyes light up, obviously pleased to know that she, no longer, was the only female on the team. Kushina smiled warmly at them and waved her hand, greeting them with a warm 'Hello'.

"Wait," Obito said, finally getting over his shyness and looking at Kushina in the face. "Weren't you the ANBU member we found in the forest a few months back? When we had our mission to destroy the Kanabi Bridge?"

Kakashi blinked, obviously surprised by the Uchiha's observation. It wasn't like him to grasp this kind of things, and it angered him that he had noticed it before.

Kushina blushed slightly looking over at Minato. He gave her a smile and just nodded back to Obito.

"_Sugoi_! **(4)**" Obito said, looking with a new air at Kushina. "We'll have someone of the ANBU in our team? I can't wait to show the other's who we have as our new team mate."

Rin just slapped her forehead, blushing. She was rather embarrassed by her friend's rude comment. Kakashi just snorted, gaining Obito's eye contact.

"WHAT?!" he demanded.

Minato pressed his fingers to his temples. Kushina just laughed, turning to Minato. "Are they always like this?" she asked, as she watched Obito pointing accusingly at Kakashi, who looked indifferent and Rin squeezed between them, trying break them up.

"You'll get used to it…_eventually_." Minato said, smiling at her.

Kushina smiled weakly, looking up at the sky. _'My new team.' _She thought. _'Sato will be proud of me.'_

_Flashback_

"_So how are you feeling?" Kushina asked grabbing a chair and placing it near the bed._

_Satoru raised an eyebrow at her. "Since when did you start to care so much?" he teased._

"_Since it was _my_ fault that _you _got hurt." Kushina replied, glaring at him. "But if you prefer it, I can go back to being mean." _

_Satoru smiled at this. "I'm feeling better actually. No thanks to you." Kushina stuck her tongue at him. "So I hear that you were teamed up with Namikaze." _

_Kushina raised both eyebrows in surprise. "What?" she asked looking at him. "Since when?"_

"_So you didn't know?" Sotaru asked, smirking. _

"_How am I supposed to know something like _that_ since I'm _stuck_ in here?" Kushina yelled over her shoulder, obviously trying to make a point. "How do _you_ know that?"_

"_You don't have to be so loud." Satoru said, putting his uninjured arm over his ear, gaining another glare from Kushina. "I heard it from a little bird –glare– Fine, fine, Sakumo-sama was here earlier asking for you, but since you decided that making a riot in the roof top of the hospital was a lot more fun than letting than doctors examine you, he asked me tell you."_

_Kushina looked at him surprised. "Sakumo-sensei was here? Why didn't anyone tell me?"_

"_Kushina, calm down." Satoru said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "It's not like he's the Hokage or something."_

_Kushina glared at him. "It's not that, and you know it." She said, sitting back down. _

_Satoru smiled at this. "You really admire him, don't you?"_

_Kushina blushed. "It's not that…it's just…well he taught me everything I know, and he's been one of the only few people who was treated me like a real person ever since I got here and he's been supportive about getting my memory back-"_

"_Has there been any progress?" Kushina didn't have to ask about what he was talking about._

"_No." She said looking down at her folded legs. "It's like my mind has been completely erased. I can't even remember family, or my home, or anything for that matter."_

_Satoru looked at her sympathetically. It must be awful to know so little about yourself. "Don't worry about it; I'm sure everything will be back one day."_

"_I guess." Kushina answered looking out the window. _

"_So are you excited?" Satoru asked her, changing the subject._

"_About?" Kushina raised an eyebrow. _

"_About getting team up with Konoha's Yellow Flash."_

_Kushina looked at her friend. "Should I?" she asked, not getting the real question._

_Satoru glared at her. "You know sometimes I wonder if you are really a 17 year old girl." He sighed._

"_What is that supposed to mean?" Kushina demanded._

_Satoru only grinned, gaining a whack on the head. _

_Flashback_

"Wait!" Obito's voice brought Kushina back to reality. They all looked at the Uchiha. "Shouldn't Kushina-nee-chan get the bell test too? I mean we all had to take it!"

All of them raised an eyebrow.

"WHAT?!"

* * *

A bouquet of white lilies was place at the base of the memorial grave where the names of all the shinobi who died during battle were carved in. Kushina kneeled down and clapped her hands together, bowing her head respectfully. Then she let her hands fall down on her sides and her hair cover her eyes. _'Why did you have to leave?'_ she asked, silently, letting some tears form in her eyes. She forced herself to get over her sadness when she felt some light footsteps approach her from behind.

"Are you here because of Ken?"

"Yes." Kushina answered, not bothering to turn around to know who it was. She already knew.

"I'm sorry." Minato tried, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"It's not your fault." Kushina answered, wiping her eyes and getting up. She turned to look at him, and noticed for the first time that he too had a bouquet of white lilies in his hands.

"For my parents." Minato explained, looking at her confused face. "They died during the Second Great Shinobi War."

Kushia looked up, toward his eyes. She could see a familiar pain being reflected in them. She watched as Minato mimicked her previous actions. "During the Second Great Shinobi War? Wasn't that about 15 years ago?"

Minato looked at her over his shoulder. "Yeah."

"So that means you were…"

"Three years old when that happened." Minato finished for her, watching as she bit her lip, regretting having asked. "Don't worry about it. It was a long time ago. I did miss them when I was younger but I have Jiraiya-sensei, the team now and you now."

Kushina looked up at him. "Me?" she asked, completely taken back from his last answer.

"Yeah…" Minato started, looking at her with a raised eyebrow. "I like to think of us as friends?"

Kushina blinked a few times, trying to grasp everything he had just said. Then she smiled. _'Friends…'_ It was amazing just how much had changed since she last met Minato.

"So you want to go get dinner or something?" Minato offered, waving a hand over her eyes.

Kushina looked at him, with her eyes narrowed. "Your treat?" she asked.

Minato just stuck his tongue at her dodging her punch.

* * *

Inoichi Yamanaka frowned in frustration as he concentrated. Tiny drops of sweat ran down his face as he tried to bear the pain, the mind he was trying to read, enforced itself into his own.

_Dadwhere'smom?Ican'tfindher?Didsomethinghappened?_

_Onii-san!Whereare you going?Whyisn'tanyonetellingmewhat'sgoingon? _

_Xerolook!It'sashell!Ifoundashell!_

_Kushina!,youstandnochanceagainsthim.I'llholdhimbacktillyougetaway._

_Hirakutakecareofyoursister!Don'tletanythinghappentoher!!Wedon'thavetimetothinkaboutit._

_'llsee._

_Mymybutisn'titapreciouslittlegirl?Whereisyourfamily?Didtheygetkilledtoo?Likeeveryoneelse?Whydon'tyoucomewithme?I'lltakecareofyou._

_'llseeeachotheragain.I''llcomelookingforyou._

_Xerowait!Don'tleaveme._

_Xero!_

"Xero!" Kushina opened her eyes, sitting up. Inoichi was thrown back by the sudden force.

"Are you ok?" one of the shinobi present asked her. "What happened?"

Kushina looked at him with a blank stare. She didn't know how to answer such question. She looked back to Inoichi who now was getting up from his position on the floor. She waited for him to get over the shock.

"Kushina-chan…" he started not really knowing how to continue.

"What did you see?" Kushina asked, eagerly.

"Well everything was fuzzy I couldn't really make out anything specifically. But this guy kept appearing in your visions." He said sitting down on a chair that had been laid out for him. "Do you have any idea of who is he? Or what kind relationship did you guys have?"

Kushina looked at him and then down at her hands that were squeezing her knees tightly. She closed her eyes for a moment and trying to remember what exactly had happened when Inoichi was on her mind.

Kushina then remember an afternoon when she was still little that she'd gone to the beach with her childhood friend. She'd been eager to go since her dad had promised to take her, but never had time to go with her. He had asked Xero to take care of her instead and that made little Kushina happy. She remembered going there and getting a pink shell which she later gave to him. He had kneeled down besides her and smiled at her with one of his gentle smiles. Little Kushina blushed when she built up the courage to look up into his gray-blue eyes.

Her memory was interrupted when a shot of pain ran through her head. She touched her forehead with her right hand and balanced herself with the left, closing her eyes.

"Don't force it." Inoichi warned her, taking her shoulder and helping her keep her balance.

"Xero."

"What?" Inoichi asked, looking at the younger girl.

"His name was Xero. He used to be my friend. I remember going to the beach with him…but I don't know what happened to him." Kushina gaze fell on her feet again. "Why can't I remember?"

"Well we are making progress, so you should be happy about that. Don't force it, though. The mind is not some sort of book that you can open and close every time you want. You need just need to be patient, everything will come back some day." He reassured her, looking at her sympathetically. It pained him to know that someone so young had to go through such hurtful things in her life.

"Xero!" Kushina said, getting up from bed. "I need to know if he's still alive. Is the Third still in his office?"

"Wait, Kushina-chan. You have to rest!" Inoichi called out to her. He sighed when he saw her run past the front door. "What a stubborn girl."

* * *

"What is it Jiraiya?" The third Hokage asked, never taking his eyes of the now setting sun, in front of him.

Jiraiya smirked at this. Sarutobi never failed to surprise Jiraiya, by knowing exactly who was behind him without even turning around to look at them. "I just wanted to ask you about this rumor that has been going about the Village lately." Jiraiya said, leaning back against the wall.

Sarutobi raised an eyebrow and looked at his student from the reflection on the window. "What is it?" he asked, linking his hands behind his back.

Jiraiya paused for a minute, looking for the right words. "It's about the Noir ninja." Jiraiya finally came out and said it, not missing his sensei's change of expression.

"What about her?" Sarutobi asked, looking out the window again.

"So it's a girl, eh?" Jiraiya smirked and walked toward the Hokage's desk.

Sarutobi frowned, turning around and giving Jiraiya a look. "Can you get to the point, please?"

"Well I just wanted to know what exactly you were thinking letting someone like that stay at the village without supervision. You must know better than to do something so reckless."

Sarutobi raised an eyebrow at this. Since when did Jiraiya become so responsible? He would've expected this from Homura or Koharu **(1)**, but Jiraiya? He looked at his student. "Your point being?" he asked in a bored voice.

"What exactly is she doing here?" Jiraiya asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Sarutobi looked at him seriously. "I don't know." He answered.

Jiraiya gave his sensei a weird look. "What is that supposed to mean?" It wasn't a question.

Sarutobi turned his back to his former student, looking out the window once again. "Do you remember about a year back, when we received a report of Sunagakure **(2)** spies crossing the borders?" he asked. Jiraiya just nodded. "Well I send an ANBU squad to look over their spies and eliminated them. They came back with an unconscious red haired girl who obviously had been beaten up. Tsunade took care of her at the hospital, but when she finally came through…" Jiraiya leaned forward eagerly. "Well she couldn't remember who she was or what she had been doing at the Land of Fire's border." Jiraiya fell back anime style. "I took a look at her and she just looked helpless. A few months later she asked if she could be part of a team, so a let her take the shinobi test. With her grades I asked her if she wanted to become part of the ANBU **(3)**. She began working on A-class or higher level mission with incredible success. She's been behind many Konoha's victories."

Jiraiya was speechless. "But…" he started, trying to find his voice. He had never heard of such level of shinobi genii since Minato. "How can you be so sure about her?" Sarutobi looked over his shoulder. "She could be Iwagakure's spy."

"I know." Sarutobi said. "That's why I've put her under the tutelage of Minato."

Jiraiya took a step back. "Minato?" he asked.

Sarutobi turned around fully. "He'll take good care of her. He's one of our most capable shinobi. He might have even surpassed _you_." He joked, melting the atmosphere around them.

"You think?" Jiraiya cracked a smiled at the joke, running a hand through his hair. He knew that his former student had long surpassed him, just chose not to admit it, _yet_.

* * *

"Grandpa!"

Both Jiraiya and Sarutobi turned their eyes toward the door. Kushina, who had just burst into the Hokage office, walked over the third's desk, placing her hands on the wood. Jiraiya turned his head toward his former teacher raising an eyebrow. Sarutobi blushed slightly, but ignored him, turning his full attention toward Kushina.

"Grandpa! You wouldn't guess I just found!" Kushina smiled. "I might have found someone who might know something about me!"

Sarutobi and Jiraiya leaned forward, eager to hear more.

"You did?" Sarutobi asked, raising an eyebrow. "And who might this person be?"

"Well I don't really know him," Kushina started, making both Jiraiya and Sarutobi fall back anime style. "But there was this person that kept appearing in my dreams. His name was Xero. Do you by any chance have the record of Whirlpool with you?"

Sarutobi blinked at the news. "Wait a minute, Kushina-chan. We can't be completely sure about this-"

"Why not?" Kushina quickly interrupted. "The fact that he was in all those rushed memories has to mean something. Besides you keep telling me to let you know about any new information-"

"Kushina-chan," he tried, but cut off by Kushina.

"Sarutobi-sama," Kushina said in a surprising cold tone. "I hope you haven't forgotten about our agreement."

Sarutobi's eyes widen. _'So she remembers…'_ he thought closing his hands over his back and turning to the now setting sun. "You can find the documents in the basement, third door to the left."

Kushina smiled at this. "Thank you, gramps!" and with that she left.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I admit it. Not my best chapter. Gomenasai! I'll make it better next time. I promise. Oh! Happy Holidays!!!

**(1) Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane: **are part of the council and former team members with Sarutobi Haruzen, the third Hokage and in my opinion the most useless people there's ever been in the Naruto story, along with Danzou.  
**(2) Sunagakure:** Hidden Village in the Sand. Remember that the 3rd Great Shinobi War started because Sunagakure's Kazekage went missing and the village went to such extents of finding him that they bothered neighbor countries: The land of Fire where Konohagakure is and the land of Earth where the Iwagakure is. Eventually these two villages (Iwagakure and Konoha) began fighting over something….  
**(3) ANBU: **Are shinobi who are elite amongst elite, who specialize in high-level missions such as assassination and torture. I really don't know what you have to do to become part of the ANBU, but I'm guessing like becoming Jounin and Chunin you have to take an exam.  
**(4) Sugoi: **Wow, awesome, no way. Depends on how you use it, but now Obito is using it to say: WOW.


	4. Talking to Strangers

**Let Go Of Yesterday**

**4. Talking to Strangers**

There was an explosion. Kushina docked behind a tree and waited impatiently for her signal. It had been over an hour that Minato told her to wait for him and she was getting impatient. Wasn't he supposed to be called 'Konoha's Yellow Flash'?

'_What the hell is taking him so long?' _she asked herself looking over her shoulder toward the enemy's base. They were near the edge of Kusagakure **(1)** nearly crossing over Iwagakure **(2) **on a very secretive mission to destroy and take over the information the enemy had been holding. Minato had been chosen to lead the small group of four people present, since they couldn't exactly take over an army and not make any suspicion. Before they had left Konoha, Minato had make it very clear that he would be the one to distract and take over as many enemies as he could alone, making the path easier for the takeover. Kushina had argued over the plan, since it had seemed as Minato wanted to take the glory for himself, forgetting about team work. Minato, like he always did, had smiled at her and reassured her that they only reason he was not asking for their help was because he was the most suited for the job. Their part would be _after_ he had done his.

Now over an hour later after Minato had successfully infiltrated enemies ground, Kushina started to wonder what the hell was taking him so long. _'That's why I told him that I could help.' _Kushina thought, looking once more over her shoulder. Not even a glimpse of yellow hair. _'This is getting ridiculous.' _Kushina thought gripping her fist tightly and searching with her limited vision of the enemy's ground for any signal that he was even alive.

"Don't worry about him." Someone said abruptly, making Kushina look down to one of her team mates. Her confused looked must have sold her away because he laughed and answered her un-asked question. "You're worried about him right? It's ok, he's tougher than all of us put together. He should be fine. Just is patient."

Kushina frowned. "I know that, and I'm not worried about him in particular. I'm worried that every minute we spent here is one minute we are not in _there_ breaking their necks off."

There was a laugh. "Minato warned us that you were hasty, but man!"

Kushina smiled, and was about to joke in return when there was a huge explosion. "Get down!" Kushina yelled, pulling herself in front of her team mates and rapidly making some seals. "Are you guys ok?" she asked looking over her shoulder.

They nodded. Looking in front of them they saw a giant ice shield. "How did you do that?"

Kushina opened her mouth but suddenly a kunai was flung at her. She took her own kunai out shielding herself with it. "They discovered our positions. Retreat and position yourself."

"Right."

Kushina jumped from the branch she'd been standing on and looked around. She couldn't really see anyone nearby. That was the problem she didn't trust her sense well enough to go for that. She ducked behind a tree, and looked around; making sure the enemy wasn't around. She nodded, satisfied and closed her eyes. _'Ok breath, slowly. Slowly.'_ She told herself. _'Ok concentrate. Try to feel someone else near. Concentrate on their chakra.' _It wasn't the first time she'd tried the censoring jutsu, but it always took her a few minutes to fully grasp someone else's chakra since she was kind of new at this. For a few minutes she couldn't feel anything, but slowly, her surroundings disappeared. The trees were gone. The wind when silent.

'_Behind you.' _Kushina took her kunai out of her kunai on her right hand and jumped her right side, countering a guy not much older than her.

His first instinct was to fling his kunai at her, which she skillfully blocked. He faked left with his first, striking right but Kushina grabber his fist in her hand and punched his stomach. He ducked painfully, but was able to hand a hit on her leg cutting it slightly. Kushina winced at that, ready to make her final blow when his voice suddenly stopped her.

"I know you." He said now looking at her.

Kushina's kunai stopped an inch from his throat. "What?" she asked stupidly.

"You are that girl, who visited a long time ago with your older brother or so he claimed to be." He continued, awed to see under such conditions.

"What are you talking about?" Kushina tried again.

"Don't you remember?" he asked, smirking at her.

"I can't remember a thing." Kushina blurted out, mentally slapping herself for letting a stranger know about her memory loss.

That made his smirk widen. "Maybe I should just-"

"Kushina!" Minato's tight voiced called out for her. "Retreat."

"But-"

"_Retreat._ Now. It's an order."

Kushina reluctantly let go of her enemy and jumped backwards land perfectly on a branch. She looked over her shoulder one more time.

"If you are ever curious as to what I know," the guys said standing and dusting himself off. "You know where to find me."

Kushina opened her mouth to say something but shut it all together. She looked once more at her enemy's face, memorizing it and jumped away toward the next branch.

"Stop!" Minato's voice came to her before she could even land neatly, making her stumble. She frowned looking up from her spot subconsciously taking a half a step backwards.

"Now, now, now," one of their enemies taunted. "Look who we have here. But if it isn't Konoha's Yellow Flash and his team. My, my, how lucky we are to have caught you guys by surprise."

Minato grab a hold of his special kunai ready to throw it, but was stopped once more by the enemy's voice. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. We have more than 200 men waiting for the signal. Move and more kunai that you can count will stab you before you can even blink."

"What do you want?" Minato asked, his composure never failing.

"Give us the scrolls you have on you. Both of them."

"And if we don't?"

"We'll have to kill you." The guys smiled.

Minato looked at the guy before him and then back at his team mates. His eyes met briefly with Kushina's giving her a slight nod. He then looked back at the enemy.

"Fine, but we need to have some sort of insurance that you won't kill us after we are done here." Minato warned.

The guy smirked at him and then back at his team mates. He laughed. "Did you hear that?" he asked, looking over his shoulder. His question was met with more laughs.

"If you don't let us go," Minato said. "I'll burn the scrolls off."

The guys shocked his head, a smirk still on his lips. "Fine, fine," he said shaking his head. "You can go after we have the scrolls on our hands."

Minato looked at him and nodded, deciding that he could trust the guy. "I'll leave the scrolls on that branch and then back off. When you have them, you better let us go." He warned.

The guy just smirked.

Minato jumped toward a branch near him and placed the scrolls down carefully, never really taking his eyes off the enemy. He then nodded slightly and backed off toward his team mates again.

The guys smirk increased. He jumped toward the branch where the scrolls were place and kneeled down, but before his hand could touch the scroll, he felt something on the back of his neck. He reached feeling a warm liquid falling down his back. He looked at his now bloody hand. "What the-?"

"Agh!" _Thum_.

"What – Ugh!" _Thum. Thum. Thum. Thum._ **(3)**

"What's going on?!" The guy reminded, looking back at Minato's team. "What did you just do?"

Minato's face never faltered. "I haven't done anything, but you just became the only survivor of this squad."

"What are you talking about?" The guy demanded, obviously scared and confused.

"You might want to look below you." Minato suggested, pointing at a bloody body, which now lay below.

The guy took a step backwards, hesitating to take his eyes of the enemy for a second, but let his curiosity get the best of him. He blinked twice, not really believing what he was seeing. Below him, there was a sea of blood. The bodies of his team mates were covered in little needle like pieces of ice. He blinked, once again, not wanting to believe the scene that was taking place below him. It couldn't be possible, there were more than 200 shinobi with him, and it couldn't be possible that someone had such accurate and silent ways of defeating them. He looked up; once again, searching through Minato's face to see any sign of what was going on.

"Look at the sky." Minato said.

He looked up at the now darkened sky. Frowning, he looked back at Minato. "What is the meaning of this?" he asked, obviously confused.

"It means," one of Minato's team mates said, looking rather annoyed. "We won, you lost, get over it."

Before the guy could even ask, he felt something sharp and small hit the back of his neck. His eyes went wide. It wasn't that the hit had been painful, it just had surprised him. Before his eyes went close, he looked over at the red head that had been standing behind Minato. Fear met his face.

"_Now there's two people from Konoha, besides the Sannin that you need to take care of." He remembered the words of the Tsuchikage _**(4)**_. "There's the Yellow Flash who might kill you before you can even blink and there's…"_

"The Ice Queen." He gasped out, before his eyes met the back of his head and his body felt down.

* * *

Kushina knight her eyebrows tight, looking intently at the air balloon on her hand. Sweat started forming on her forehead. She watched as the balloon started to twitch and tried her best to control her chakra; it only worked for a few seconds. The balloon exploded, making one of the pieces fly toward her face.

"Argh!" She said, taking the piece and removing it.

"Good, very good." Minato praised, clapping his hands.

Kushina narrowed her eyes to him. "Are you kidding?" she asked incredulously. "I've hardly made any progress!"

Minato raised an eyebrow. "Are _you_ kidding?" he asked, looking at the ground where about 5 exploded balloons laid. "Do you know how much time it got me to get to this step? You are barely on your third week and look where you are. That's really impressive."

"But that's only because you had to start from zero, I mean, after you figure out what the Rasengan was going to look like, how much time did it really take you to master it?"

"Well that's a little different because –"

"See?!" Kushina accused, glaring at the balloons. "I just can't seem to get it."

"Kushina you can't rush these things. Do you know how much time it would take anyone else to get to this point? Heck not even half the people would've gotten this far."

Kushina looked at him, ready to shot something back, when she stopped short. _Not even half the people would've gotten this far. _That's right; she wasn't like the other shinobi. She wasn't even like the Sannin, she was just…special.

"Yeah…" she said drily after a few moments of silence.

"Wha – oh…" Minato quickly caught himself, before he could even start saying anything stupid.

"Yeah," Kushina repeated, sitting back on the ground.

"It's not that bad," Minato tried, looking down at her. "I mean-"

"Nothing," Kushina, quickly interrupted. "You mean nothing."

"Kushina, it's not something you have to worry yourself about…" Minato started, kneeling besides her. "What happened, happened, there's nothing to be concerned about."

"But you don't know what happened in the past!"

"Neither do you."

"I know!" Kushina said, glaring at him. "That's what scares me that most. What if I'm some kind of…I don't know Bijuu or something equally terrifying?"

Minato laughed at this. "I doubt it." He said, grinning at her.

Kushina raised an eyebrow. "You seem awfully sure about it. How come?"

"Because, I doubt you'll be able to get even scarier than you already are." Minato grinned down at her, making Kushina roll her eyes.

"Namikaze, sometimes I wonder why I'm even friends with you." Kushina said, getting up from her stop and dusting herself off.

"Because I teach you techniques like the ransengan." Minato replied, setting his features to business mode again. "Ok, let's try again."

Kushina sighed, extending her right hand in front of her and frowning in concentration. A few seconds later a not so stable blue sphere of raw chakra appeared on her hand. Sweat appeared in her brown as Kushina tried her best to stable the blue sphere in her hand. It took her a few minutes, but finally it was stable enough for her to look up at Minato, still keeping most of her mind on the ball on her hand.

"Ok now concentrate on keeping it stable enough for you to smash it up against the tree." He said his voice calm and collected, just like in battle.

Kushina frowned softly, looking at the blue sphere in her hand. "But how do I do that? The more I concentrate the more unstable it gets."

"That's because you are thinking too much about it." Minato coached, looking at her hand. "What you have there is just fine, just relax your body and let the chakra run its course. If you think too much about it, you'll only get nervous and lose control. Breath nice and slow and-"

Kushina screamed smashing the blue sphere on the bark tree. She felts as the blue sphere on her hand was about to disintegrate, but putting all her effort on keeping it stable she felt as some of the bark of the tree started to give in. She smiled pushing harder. Suddenly the blue sphere on her hand disappeared all together, leaving the so familiar rings.

"You did it!" Minato congratulate her.

"Yeah, but not for very long." Kushina reminded, looking at him. "It was only for a few seconds."

"Still," Minato smiled down at her. "That means that you are getting better, you just need practice. You know the basics and well…the last part can't really be taught." He apologized, scratching the back of his neck with his hand.

Kushina eyed him. She knew that he only did that when he was nervous. She was about to ask what was wrong with him, when she felt something coming her way. She raised her palm in front of her and stopped the kunai in mid air with her air chakra. **(5)**

"You have to _stop_ doing that." She barked, looking over her shoulder at the figure that was standing on a tree.

A guy with an ANBU mask landed swiftly besides her. He nodded politely to Minato but turned his attention to Kushina. "The third requests for your presence." He said, taking his kunai and putting it back in his coat.

"And you had to throw a kunai at my face to tell me that?" She asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"I was just testing you." He answered, in his monotonous voice. "Never-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, never let your guard down. I got it." Kushina frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. "That doesn't mean I-"

"That is all." He interrupted her, and disappeared, leaving a gust of air behind him.

Kushina glared at the spot where he'd been a few minutes ago. "I do _not_ like that guy."

Minato raised an eyebrow. "You know who he is?" he asked surprised.

Even thought Minato had been born and raised in Konoha all his life and he pretty much knew everyone in the Village, he was always surprised to see that sometimes Kushina knew more about Konoha and its villagers than he did. It was strange considering how little time she'd been living in Konoha.

"I have to go," Kushina avoided his question. "Sandaime needs me."

Before Minato could even mutter a good-bye she was gone. He sighed, putting his hands on his pocket and turning around, nearly bumping into someone.

"Sensei!" Minato said surprised. "What are you doing here?"

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow at his student. "Why, I thought I would get a warmer hello from my former student. Kids these days…" he shocked his head.

Minato sighed, starting to walk again. "I just thought that you've been glued the women's public bathrooms that's all."

"Is that all you think I'm interested in?" Jiraiya asked, looking hurt. Minato gave him a look. "Hey, I'm just researching, Minato. Something you'd understand more if you had a girlfriend or a love interest for that matter." He tried to defend his actions.

"Sensei I thought we'd talk about this before, I don't have time for-"

"Minato," Jiraiya said sternly. "You are still young; going on a date with someone doesn't mean you have to marry the girl. It would be nice to know some girls your age. I mean, are you even aware that you are the heartthrob of almost all the female population of Konoha?" Minato just gave him and exasperated sigh. "Unless, do you have someone else on your mind that you haven't told me about?"

Minato chose to ignore the question. "So what are you really doing here Sensei? I doubt you came all the way here just to ask me about my love life."

Jiraiya's grin dropped. "Well I was actually wondering…"

"Yeah," Minato promoted.

"About Kushina…" Jiraiya trailed off once again.

"What about Kushina?" Minato's face turned alarmed.

Jiraiya looked at him exasperatedly. "Have you noticed anything weird from her? Like…I don't know weird behavior or something?"

"Weird behavior?" Minato asked, confused. Then he got it. "Oh you mean-"

"Yeah," Jiraiya cut him off quickly, not wanting any of the villagers to hear exactly what he meant. They were now walking down the streets of Konoha.

"Well she can do things that no one else can. Weird things with her chakra nature." Minato said, thinking about how he had seen Kushina stop the kunai in mid air only with her chakra. Not even the Sandaime could do that. "And she has almost completed the rasengan in almost three weeks."

This made Jiraiya stop dead in his tracks. "Wha-what?" he asked incredulously.

"Yeah, we were practicing it before you came over. Why?" Minato asked, not really getting where his sensei was going with all this.

"Minato," Jiraiya looked down at his student. Concern all over his face. "You do know what she is…right?"

"Yes. Sandaime told me. I think it was another reason why he asked me to keep an eye on her." Minato answered looking over at the Hokage's monument.

"Do you think she'll-"

"No." Minato interrupted quickly. "I doubt it."

"How can you be so sure?" Jiraiya asked.

"Because she doesn't know what she's capable off."

* * *

"Jii-chan," Kushina asked, peeking inside the third's office. "You wanted to see me?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi turned around, taken back by Kushina's voice. "Yes…" he said, folding his hands behind his back, like he always did. "I have something for you."

Kushina stepped inside the office. "What is it?"

Sarutobi just smiled at her and took a big Claymore. "What is it?" Kushina repeated, not really knowing what it was.

"It's a Claymore. It was yours. Sorry I took it away from you. It thought you might like it back." He explained handing it to her.

Kushina took it in her right hand. It was heavier than it looked like, so she tightened the grip on it. "It was mine?" Kushina repeated, looking at it up and down. It was almost as tall as her.

Sarutobi frowned at this. "Well, we are not sure if it was really _yours_," he said, referring to the time they found her. "But when we found you, you were gripping the sword pretty tightly, so we figure it was yours, or at least it had some meaning to you."

Kushina flipped his eyes to the third. "I…I can't remember…" she started.

Sarutobi looked at her concerned. "Have you talked to Inoichi about it?"

"I have!" Kushina said gesticulating with the sword on her hand, accidentally cutting the third's desk in half. She blushed, while the third sweat dropped. "But he said I should be patient about it. Something about the mind not being a book that you can open and close every time I want and how it might be dangerous for me to get all those memories back in one go."

Sarutobi looked up at her quizzically. "And so what's the problem…?"

Kushina glared at him. "The problem _is _that it's been more than a year and I still don't even know my last name…I mean what do you guys know about me? My age, my name and that I come from whirlpool. What about my family and my friends and these weird powers I seem to have which I still can't understand…?"

Sarutobi sighed, turning away from her to look out the window. "We are still onto that, but as you know, we are currently in the middle of a conflict with Iwagakure. You can keep visiting Inoichi if you're still curious about your past and what is on your mind, but as he said, you must be patient. The mind it's not a-"

"A book that you can open and close whenever you please," Kushina quickly interrupted. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I got cha'"

Sarutobi turned around, looking over at Kushina. She blushed. She had forgotten that she was talking to the Hokage, she needed to be more respectful. She opened her mouth to apologize but the third interrupted her.

"How are your trainings with Namikaze Minato?"

"Minato?" Kushina asked, pulling the sword behind her back. "They are boring, most of our missions are D-rank."

"Well that's because you have 2 genins on your team."

"I know. Besides that…well it's been really boring. I haven't had a real mission since almost 3 weeks ago when we destroyed Iwagakure's base on the Kusagakure **(7)**…" she trailed off at this. She had completely forgotten about that ninja who had acted as if they had known each other. Maybe he had the answers to her questions. She should try talk to him again. _'But he's the enemy…' _Kushina thought bitterly, wondering if they'll ever be able to meet again.

"…next week." Sandaime Hokage said, turning toward Kushina watching her reaction.

'_What?' _"Yeah sure, no problem." Kushina said, nodding.

Sarutobi nodded once. "Ok then, if there's nothing else you want to discuss…"

Kushina took the hit and nodded, bowing respectfully. "Thanks for the um…sword…I'll have to practice on how to use it."

"Kushina," Sarutobi quickly said, stopping Kushina in the middle of the doorway. "Just be careful with that sword. It's not something you use on a hand to hand combat. It's for special or dangerous occasion only."

"What do you mean special or dangerous?"

Sarutobi smiled secretly. "You'll see."

* * *

Kushina sighed, leaning against the tree trunk. _'I swear every time I go over to the old man I get more questions than answers.'_ She slammed the back of her head against the tree trunk and closed her eyes, letting the gentle wind carry her lose hair over her face. She let herself relax for a bit. Suddenly the sound of a dry branch cracking made her stand up and take position for an attack. She tried to look over trees, but all she could hear now was the wind.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" she yelled, taking her kunai on her right hand and preparing herself.

Kushina held her breath. It couldn't be the enemy, they were way too close the Village for the Iwagakure shinobi to prepare an attack with so little people. It couldn't be Iwagakure's army either, they had destroyed their base and it was over 4 days by feet to get to the Fire Countries borders. Konoha had reinforced the security ever since their last attack. She jumped off the tree and walked over to the small pond nearby, looking around she saw no one. She sighed, shaking her head at her own paranoia, sinking down on her knees and eventually sitting down.

'_God! I must be losing it.'_

"What is a girl like you doing in a place like this?" a voiced asked, making Kushina jump slightly.

"Don't worry child. I won't be able to put much of a fight." An old guy said, walking over to the pond where Kushina had been sitting by.

Kushina looked over at the guy. He didn't seem like much of threat. Heck, he didn't seem like a treat at all. He was smaller than her and was wearing farmer's clothes, with a fishing stick on his left hand and a sedge hat. He smiled down at her.

"I like this place," Kushina finally said, not really comfortable with the silence. "It's quiet."

"It is," the old man confirmed, sitting next to her and setting his stick. "That's why the fish from this pond are the tastiest."

Kushina smiled at the thought. "I guess I'll be leaving now old man. I don't want to disturb you in your fishing."

The old man, didn't look at her as she got up to leave, taking her sword with you. "I see that they finally gave you your sword back. Good. You mustn't part ways with it again."

Kushina stopped dead in her tracks. "What do you mean?" she asked looking over her shoulder at the old man.

"It protects you as you must protect it. You and it are one being. If you lose it, you'll lose what you value the most. You must never part ways again." The old man taunted, talking as if he was crazy.

Kushina turned around to demand that the old man explain his words, but decided not to. She had enough questions for one day. She looked one last time at the back of the old man and turned around, walking towards the village.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Ok so I really don't have a living excuse as to why I've been so negligent to write this story, but maybe it's because I've been lacking inspiration. Sorry to everyone who's been waiting patiently for this chapter. Also I _know_ that Kushina's War nickname as The Ice Queen is _not _original, but she's an ice user and a girl and the real reason is that I couldn't come up with a cool nickname for her. I thought about the Red Reaper, but it just doesn't really fit her that much. Any kind of suggestions are welcomed.

**(1) Kusagakure: **Village hidden in the grass.  
**(2) Iwagakure:** Village hidden in the rocks.  
**(3) **I just want to explain that the thum thing is kind of me trying to grasp the sound of something, like a body in this case, causes when it falls to the ground.  
**(4) Tsuchikage: **The Kage figure of Iwagakure. Well at this point in history of Naruto I really don't know if it Onoki is the current Kage, but let's just pretend that he is ok?  
**(5)** Ok, so I don't really know if that's possible since the wind chakra is supposed to the "cutter" kind of chakra, instead of an offensive type, but I just thought that it would be fun if wind users like Kushina could do that.  
**(6) Jii-chan: **old man or grandpa.  
**(7) Kusagakure:** Village Hidden in the Grass.

I _know_ there are some serious drama issues in this chapter.


	5. Time Will Forget

**Author's Note: **Ok I know that it's a late update but it's only for these two reasons:

**1.** Lack inspiration, motivation and time. A cliché really but true. I've been busy with college, ex boyfriends, and the muse has left me for a while, so really, can you blame me?  
**2.** Georgina Kincaid Series (Succubus Blues, Succubus on Top, Succubus Dreams, Succubus Heat and Succubus Shadows) all by Richelle Mead (author of Vampire Academy series) my new and personal addiction. Recommended to: People who like witty dialogue, strong characters and steamy sex.

* * *

**Let Go** **Of Yesterday**

** 5. Time Will Forget**

It had been a few days since Kushina last received her sword. It was really uncomfortable to carry it around on mission at the beginning but she eventually got used to the weight of her new weapon. Using it was another story.

"Urgh!" Kushina yelled, letting her sword fall out of her hands onto the grass with a muffled _thumb_. "I'll never be able to dominate that Jutsu."

"Don't say that child." She heard the same old voice from before warn her, before she actually saw the gold man walking towards her with his trade mark fishing stick in his hands. "The road may look difficult but it must be walked to get to the top of the mountain."

Kushina raised an eyebrow at the old man. "I never expected to see you here old man." She said, wiping the sweat off her brow. "I thought you didn't walk through these woods since the pond is the other way."

"If I eat the fish of that pond every day, the taste will get old and familiar. A dish tastes better when eaten once or twice every few years." He looked down at her sword, crossing his arms over his back. "Practicing I assume."

Kushina nodded, walking over her fallen sword. "Yeah, it was difficult at the beginning getting used to the sword, since I never had training with one, but after a few days I'm finally getting used to it. It's like it's growing on me." She tried to explain, taking it from the ground and examining it.

"Good," the old man said, walking over to her. "It means you are remembering."

Kushina shot her head toward the old guy. "What do you mean 'remembering'? Remembering what exactly?"

The old man didn't look at her. "Just don't forget what I told you last time, about keeping the sword always with you?" he glanced at her from under his sedge hat.

"About how I'll lose something important…?" Kushina tried, scratching her head.

The old man scowled at her. "If you lose it, you'll lose what you value the most. You must remember that child."

"Yeah about that," Kushina said, glancing over at her sword. "I was wondering what you mean with it."

The old guy smiled secretly at her. "That," he said, walking away from her. "Is something you must remember on your own."

"But the thing is that I can't really remember–" she cut herself when she saw that the old guy had disappeared. "Old man?"

"Are you talking to yourself now?" a taunting voice she recognized came from behind her.

_Sigh _"What do _you _want?" Kushina asked, putting her sword on her back again.

"My, my, aren't we in a bad mood today." Satoru Uchiha **(1)** teased, walking over to her.

"Well excuse me if I'm not in an overly cheerful mood like you always seem to be." Kushina returned, crossing her arms over her chest.

Satoru smiled at her. "I know. You are only about bad mood and ramen craving aren't you?" he smiled teasingly.

Kushina grinned at this. "Hey it's a thousand times better than being happy all the time." She countered back. "Anyways, really what are you doing here? I don't suppose you came all this way to tease me about my moods?"

Satoru's smile lessened at that. "Well I've got sort of bad news."

"Bad news?" Kushina asked, starting to walk back toward the Village. "Was there another attack? Is Jii-chan **(2)** alright?"

"Yes," Satoru quickly interrupted her, preventing her from asking more questions. "It's Sakumo-sama."

Kushina stopped dead in her tracks. "Did…did something happen to him?" she asked, afraid of hearing the answer.

Not only had Sakumo Hatake saved her from death the first time he had encountered her, he had also dedicated his precious free time to train her and take care of her as one would with a daughter. It was Sakumo's idea to make her take the shinobi test for her to become a Konoha shinobi and eventually and ANBU member. It was by his hand that she had found a place to live rent free for the first few months. It was because of him, that Kushina was feared as the Konoha's Ice Queen, since her first kill had happened in his presence, which he consoled her afterwards. No one got over their first kill, kills even, easily. Kushina looked at him as her own father, her only real none blood related family. She owned everything to him, and so she would make sure to fulfill the promise she had made to him long ago.

"Well, do you remember that secret mission he took about 4 weeks ago?" Satoru asked, bringing her back from her reminiscing.

"Yeah." 4 weeks ago Sakumo had accepted a very secretly mission to Iwagakure **(3)**.She hadn't been allowed to go. Only the most elite of the elite had gone with him. "What about it?"

"Well it seems like he fell accomplishing it." Satoru explained a hard edge on his voice. This was difficult to say without sounding like he blamed Sakumo. "Apparently they were discovered last minute and Sakumo-sama chose the life of his comrades over the success of the mission. Now as you know, according to the shinobi rules you must always put the mission before your life, but he chose to save those in his care instead. Konoha will suffer great loses because of that."

"But he's ok right?" Kushina asked, not bothering to hide the concern in her voice.

Satoru raised an eyebrow at her. "Didn't you hear what I just said? Konoha–"

"I heard you." Kushina snapped, glaring at him. "But that's not the point here; the point is that one of our most powerful men–"

"Failed to accomplish one of the most important missions."

"Cared more about the people that were under his care to even think about the Village's profit. Yeah, this is going to take its toll in the long run, but think about all the lives that he was saving. I mean it's not like we have shinobi to spare. If this war continues and the attacks from Iwagakure become–"

"Kushina." Satoru said, putting both hands on her shoulders. "People are not going to think about that way. They are going to look at what the Viallge has lost and what was the cause of it. Even Sandaime frowned upon his actions. You know the rules."

Kushina opened her mouth to snap something back, but Satoru interrupted her. "You must be aware that this is going to take its toll in Sakumo-sama's reputation. Some people in the Village might take this harder than it's meant to be and you must be prepared to deal with it. We all know how you get when you let your temper get in the way of things."

Kushina narrowed her eyes. "Are you saying that I have a short temper?"

Satoru just smiled, ruffling her hair in response.

* * *

"And so I thought it would have been better so save the lives of my comrades. We in a war and we are lacking shinobi at the moment. This is not time to think about individual gaining but to value the lives of our people." Sakura explained, looking directly into the thirds eyes. "I will take any punishment that you find appropriate for my actions but I request you to leave those who came to the mission with me unpunished, they were just following my orders."

Sarutobi looked through the huge windows in his office, hands behind his back. It was such a familiar posture for the old man that everyone in the room was surprised when he said. "Danzo, what do you think?"

"I think he should be suspended from his Jonin rank until the board decides on a punishment for his actions."

Sarutobi didn't look over his shoulder. "Homura, Koharu?"

"I agree with Danzo," Homura, said, putting his glasses back on his face.

"We will come up with an appropriate punishment." Koharu said.

Sarutobi nodded slightly, keeping his hands behind his back and turning around once again, looking at Sakumo, "Hatake Sakumo, you are suspended from your duties and your Jonin rank from this day forward. You may be excuse for now until the board calls upon the appropriate punishment for you."

Sakumo nodded respectfully, bowing and leaving the office without another word. When the door was finally closed and everyone heard the footsteps down the hall, Danzo turned his uninjured eyes toward the third Hokage.

"So what are we really doing here? You didn't call us just to get our opinion on Sakumo-kun."

Sarutobi looked at the Danzo square in the eye, never letting his guard down. "You are right; I had a more important issue I wanted to discuss with you three." He turned around, clasping his hands behind his back again. "I have recently decided that it was time for me to retire."

Koharu took a step forward. "But we are in the middle of a war! Changing leaderships during times like this is just mad!"

"Is because of this war that I've decided to retire." Sarutobi said, never letting his gaze leave the Village below him.

"Your duty as Hokage is to stand by the Village when it needs you. You can't just run away like a coward puppy in the middle of war." Danzo accused, gripping his stick tighter.

"You will not talk to me that way Danzo." Sarutobi warned, letting his voice take a hard edge.

Danzo frowned, taking a step forward ready to make a remark about what a coward he thought he was, when Homura quickly asked.

"Do you have someone in mind that might make a very suitor for the position than you?"

Sarutobi smiled slightly at this turning around to face his council. "There are quite a few people who have caught my eye. I'm just throwing this out there to get your opinion on the matter. It's not like I plan on leaving my duty to anyone any day."

"They why think about retiring at all?" Danzo asked, his voice taking the hard edge Sarutobi was trying to avoid.

"Because a younger candidate is more likely to win against a powerful attack from Iwagakure. You might not accept it Danzo, but we are no longer in our years of glory. I'm 57 and not getting any younger for that matter."

It was clear that neither of them were going to raise their voices higher than they were now, but the hard edge to their tones made one think that they were rolling around the floor throwing punches like 5 year olds.

"I'm very aware of our age," Danzo said, looking at Sarutobi. "But I don't think that letting a teenager take the Hokage's place just like that is a wise idea. If you feel so tired about your job there are other possible, more experienced suitors for the job. I'm ready to take your place any day now."

Sarutobi smirked at that. "Just like you were when Nidaime elected me to take his place and not you."

Danzo frowned, not wanting to be reminded of his cowardliness the cursed day Sarutobi Hiruzen was elected Sandaime Hokage. "I wasn't–"

"Who have you thought about taking your position, Sarutobi?" Homura, asked, not wanting the old argument to take over. This was not the time for childish fights.

"There are quite a few people who have been excelling in their own way." Sarutobi said evasively.

"Such as?" Danzo insisted.

"If you really want to know, I have it narrowed to about 5 possible candidates. One of them being my former student Orochimaru." Sarutobi said, turning back to his friends.

"And the other 4?" Koharu asked, not liking his former team member decision about Orochimaru. There was something about that guy that made her uneasy. Maybe it was just her imagination, but she didn't want to risk it. There was no way she was going to work under him.

"Namikaze Minato." Sarutobi said, looking sternly at his council members.

"That _kid_?" Danzo asked, finding it less appealing to work under Minato than to work under Orochimaru. At least under the former, he could find a way around to be in power without _being_ in power. With Minato as Hokage, there was no telling just how much he could still get away with.

"He's 19." Sarutobi said. "Turning 20 next year."

"Don't you think that maybe he's a little _too_ young to take such responsibilities?" Koharu countered, voicing everyone's concern. "I don't think the village would appreciate and respect someone as young as him to lead on. Especially in the middle of war. It's bad enough that you want to retire."

Sarutobi folded his hands behind his back once again but didn't turn away. As Hokage he had the ultimate decision on who would take his place, but he still had to get the OK from council _and_ the Fire Daimyo **(4)** about the candidates. He couldn't just nominate anyone and not just anyone could apply to be Hokage.

"I agree that there are a few people who might make a better choice than him, age wise, but he has proven to be a brilliant ninja. Not only with his Ninjutsu, but his strategically and tactics plans Konoha, has been able to sustain a more or less low profile in this war."

"But what is it about Minato-kun that is so appealing?" Danzo asked, going back to his collected attitude.

"Were you aware of the infiltration in Sunagakure **(5) **which ended in the destruction of their wall near the frontier of Amegakure?"

Koharu was taken back by this. "Don't tell me he–"

Sarutobi just nodded. "He planned everything. He took the teams with him and organized the diversion while he single handedly took down the enemies forces while the rest took the wall, creating an easier path for us to wipe out Sunagakure."

"Why didn't we ever hear about this?" Danzo asked, looking over at the third seriously. It wasn't like him to keep information, even from him.

"Jiraiya thought it would be better to keep Minato on a low profile for now. If Iwagakure knew about Minato they would put him at the top of the bingo with those three."

"Isn't he already at the top?" Homura asked.

Sarutobi shock his head. "No as far as we know. Anyone, enemy wise I mean, who has seen his Hiraishin no Jutsu **(6)** don't live to report back to their superiors. But with this war raging on and the lack of shinobi with each passing day, I'm afraid we'll be forced to lean most of our hope on Minato until we find a Plan B."

"So you are giving him the Hokage title because he came up with a new Jutsu?" Danzo asked, not bothering to disguise the incredibility tone in his voice. "Granted nobody else has it, but I'm sure it can be copied."

"Danzo I'm not saying that I have already decided who is going to take my place. I just noted that I had him in mind for now. I agree that his a little _too _young to take such responsibilities and like you said, it's not like the Village is going to obey someone as young as him. But I'm not going to scratch him all together. I'll keep a good eye on him and see how things go."

Koharu opened her mouth to say something else, but Sarutobi quickly interrupted them dismissing them all. He turned around and waited for the sound of the door closing, but looked over his shoulder to where Danzo still stood in the middle of his office. He turned his gaze back to the Village.

"What is it?" Sarutobi asked.

"I wanted to ask you about that girl."

"What about her?"

"I recently learned that you gave her back her sword. The one she was found with when Sakumo brought her to us."

"What about that?"

"As Hokage you should know how dangerous an untrained and unchaperoned–"

"What are you getting at?" Sarutobi interrupted.

"What were you thinking giving her that blade? Does she even know how to use it rightfully?"

"Well no, but she told me she was training outside–"

"Do you know what will happen if she loses control over her chakra? Are you willing to take over the consequences of her actions?" Danzo persisted, not wasting the opportunity. "Are you even aware that her chakra alone could destroy–?"

"That's enough!" Sarutobi snapped. "I am very aware of what she is and what she is capable of. I have it under control, Minato is looking over her and I know for certain that she will _never_–"

"I would keep a better eye on her Sandaime-_sama._" Danzo said sternly, turning around and leaving the office.

* * *

"Thank you, old man!" Kushina smiled, stepping outside Ichiraku Ramen.

"No problem. Come back anytime soon!" Teuchi said, lifting his daughter out of the stoves way.

Kushina grinned in return and started her way home when she suddenly bumped into someone. "Oh, sorry about that."

"N-no problem." A guy she didn't know stammered, blushing terribly. "It really was my fault."

Kushina nodded, looking over at the guy. He was cute. With black hair and gray eyes. A little taller than her. Lean muscled. '_Shinobi._' She thought. _'Maybe a Chunin.'_

"I was actually looking for you." He continued, when he noticed that she wasn't really saying anything.

"Me?" Kushina asked, now more confused than ever. What did this guy wanted with her? _Who_ was this guy? Maybe someone who worked for Inoichi. Maybe they actually found something new about her. "Did I do something wrong? Did Inoichi-san find something new?"

The guy looked more confused than ever. "No, it's not that. It's just…well I was actually wondering…that is if you don't have anything to do because if you do that is totally fine with me, I mean it's not like I'm making you agree to this or anything…"

On and on he rambled. Kushina switched her weight on her other feet obvious impatient as to what this guy wanted with her. She searched her memory wondering if she by any chance had seen him before. He looked familiar, but she couldn't _quite_ place him.

"…sometime." He finished, looking down at the ground and blushing furiously.

Kushina blinked a few times, missing the most part of his rambling. "I'm sorry what?" she asked, looking back at the guy.

"I-I was just wondering, if you want to go out sometime. I mean, like I said, if you are not busy or anything."

Kushina blinked. Go out? "Um, sure…" she said, her brows confused as to what the big deal was. "I would love to."

"Really?" the guy asked, his face blooming with hope and joy. "Wow…that's, wow. Great, then I'll see you at the movie theater tomorrow? Around 7?"

"Sure." Kushina smiled at that. "I'm sorry I didn't catch your name."

"Nori." He said, smiling at her, to which Kushina just raised an eyebrow.

"Ok, Nori. Then I guess I'll see you tomorrow. At 7." She confirmed.

Nori nodded, waving her good bye and running away. His day obviously made.

"Wow." A voice behind her said, making Kushina turn around.

"What?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I didn't know you were this popular." Minato, said, smiling down at her. "I mean you just got asked out."

"I did not." Kushina said, resuming her walk home, to which Minato joined. "He would have said so himself. It's just a friendly gathering."

"Is it now?" Minato, smiled secretly at her. "I would have though a minute ago that–"

"Kushina!"

Both Minato and Kushina turned around to see Satoru running up to them, his face a pool of emotions.

"What's going on? Has there been another attack?" Kushina asked, waiting impatiently for her friend to catch his breath.

"No it's…Sakumo-sama. He…he…" Satoru tried to say, not really knowing how to break the news on her.

"He…what? What happened?"

"He was found dead in his house a few hours ago."

"Dead? You mean a murder?"

"No." Satoru shocked his head, straitening up. "He commited suicide."

**

* * *

Authors Note: **Ok bad chapter title, but I just couldn't come up with a good one. Hope you like it and I know it's slow for now, but blame Richelle Mead for writing such additive books!

**(1)** People, remember that this was during Minato's youth, so the Uchiha were not discriminated in Konoha and Itachi had not killed them off either.  
**(2) Jii-chan: **Japanese for old man or grandpa.  
**(3) Iwagakure: **Village Hidden in the Rocks. Sorry if it getting annoying to all those who know the names, but I always forget the Village names and thought it was nicer to have the reminded what they meant, rather than wondering about it.  
**(4) Fire Daimyo: **Is the Land of Fire's leader. Think of him as the king of the Fire Country.  
**(5) Sunagakure: **Village Hidden in the Sand.  
**(6) Hiraishin no Jutsu: **Flying Thunder God Technique. The Jutsu Minato was famous for because he could appear behind his enemies unnoticed.


	6. Learning How to Smile

**Let Go Of Yesterday**

** 6. Learning How to Smile**

"…and so I just wanted to tell you that I've liked you ever since we were in the academy, but you graduate a little too soon and I was too shy to actually tell you my feelings for you. So I'm telling you now…"

Minato looked down at Mikazuki. She was blushing furiously, finding her feet way more interesting to look at rather than directly at his face. He was a little taken back by her confession. It wasn't that he didn't receive confessions from girls all the time; it was just that he didn't really expect such a straight forward confession. His eyes had widened in consideration. What was he supposed to say? He didn't want to make her upset or cry or mad at him, but no matter how much he tried to let girls down gently, they would always react to one of the previous three. Heck he even once had to witness a girl reacting all three at the same time. He opened his mouth to say something, but was cut short when he found her looking at him for a change. He blinked when he saw a rather familiar face move around the market quickly. She was easy to spot with such unusual red hair.

"I'm sorry Mikazuki-san," Minato bowed, apologetically. "But I can't return your feelings at the moment. Thank you for telling me. I just hope that we can still be friends."

Mikazuki nodded, understandingly, trying her best to keep her tears in check. "I understand Minato-san." She bowed. "May I ask…is there maybe someone else that you are interested in? Is that why you can't return my feelings?"

Was there? Not really. He just never really sat down for five minutes and thought about his feelings for girls. It wasn't that he didn't like them, it was just that…he never really found the time to really sit down and ask himself 'Do I have someone I like?' there was never really time. And when he actually found time to think about girls, it was interrupted by either a secret mission to the Fire Country border, or training with his team or Jiraiya-sensei dragging him away to go with him to a bar, where every female or none female person would gape at him. And more recently Kushina. It wasn't that she was preventing him from getting a girlfriend per se, it was just that he had been busy keeping an eye on her (because of Sandaime-sama asked him) that he never really found the time to look at anyone else. Since Hatake Sakumo had died about a week ago, he'd been busier with keeping an eye on Kakashi and Kushina too. Granted, they both had taken his death rather well (Kakashi in particular), but that didn't mean that he couldn't worry about them. He hadn't seen Kushina for almost a week now and seeing her out on the street, on a sunny day, wearing her usual cloths, was more than news to him. He needed to get there and fast, before she disappeared and he wouldn't see her again for God know how long.

He turned his attention back to Mikazuki. "No." He finally admitted, not really knowing if that was true but going for the faster answer. "I'm sorry Mikazuki-san."

"That's ok." Mikazuki said, bowing her head and fighting back tears. "I understand."

'_Damn it.' _He hated being a jerk. "I–"

"It's ok Minato-kun, really." Mikazuki smiled sadly at him. "I just hope that you find that specials someone to you and that she returns your feelings."

Whoa. That was new. Most of the girls who confessed to him slapped him or told him to go to hell or something along the lines. This was the first time someone had told him this. He smiled at her. "Thank you Mikazuki-san. I really hope the same for you."

With semi-awkward goodbyes, Minato sprinted to find Kushina in the crowd.

* * *

Kushina thanked the man behind the counter who had been patient enough to help her with her groceries. It wasn't that she had never been groceries shopping before in her life; I mean she had gone at least _once _as far a she remembered; it was just that Sakumo-sama had always helped her with the house chores. He had been like a father to Kushina ever since she had first arrived to Konoha, not knowing who she was, were she'd come from, what was she doing here. He had taken care of her the whole time. Making sure she had enough food in her kitchen, that her bed was made and cleaned, he even took care of her cat when she was away on long missions. So it was more than awkward for Kushina when she woke up this morning to find that her refrigerator only had a 2 week ago expired bottle of milk. It was time to get out of bed and go to the supermarket.

It was a beautiful day in Konoha, to which Kushina cursed under her breath, and took out her black umbrella, putting it over her head. She had always burned easily. She then spotted Minato talking to a young girl, a little bit younger than him, maybe about her age. She frowned when she saw the girl look down at the ground. What was Minato talking about with her anyways? She was about to walk over there, but stopped short when she saw the girl blush and look down. _'Ah, another confession.'_ Kushina secretly smiled, when he saw Minato's surprised face. She rolled her eyes, turning on her heels and heading over to her apartment.

It was no secret to pretty much _everyone _with eyes that Minato had been and still was the heartthrob of almost _every_ girl in Konoha for the past 7 years. Everywhere she went all she heard women gossip about was what Minato was doing, who he liked, if he was dating anyone. Granted, he was handsome in an obvious kind of way, nice to pretty much everyone in the village, even those he seem to despise. And he was a great shinobi with a well deserved reputation behind it. But Kushina would always have the hardest time pointing out what exactly it was that made every girl who laid eyes on Minato, give an infatuated sigh. It was pathetic. She was just glad that she wasn't part of that bunch. He was Minato, her friend and team leader. She would make sure to keep it that way anyways.

"Kushina!"

"Namikaze," Kushina smiled when he caught up with her. "How did it go?"

He raised an eyebrow. "How did what go?"

"Come on," she teased, resuming her walk home. "You know with the girl over there. Did she ask you out? Because it seemed from here like she was going to explode from all that blushing."

"You saw that?" Minato asked, scratching the back of his head.

"Are you kidding? Everyone saw that!" Kushina rolled her eyes at that. "How many have you had so far? I mean is there anyone who hasn't already declared their undying love for you?"

Minato just poked his tongue at her. "What about you?"

"What about me?" Kushina raised an eyebrow.

"Everywhere you go, I catch guys checking you out. You had a date last Saturday and there has been more than one talk in the village about whether or not you are single or not. Do you know how many guys have stopped me to ask about your personal life status?"

Kushina narrowed her eyes at him. "What have you told them?"

"Oh you know the usual," Minato hide a secret smile. "That you were so controlling and scary that no guy would ever–"

Kushina punched on the shoulder. Hard.

"Ow!" Minato glared at her, rubbing his shoulder. "What was that for?"

"For making things up," Kushina warned, narrowing her eyes at him.

Minato just shocked his head. "Anyways, I was wondering how you've been doing?"

"What do you mean?" Kushina asked, rounding a corner and purposely looking away from him.

"I mean are you doing ok? Since Sakumo–"

"Why do people keep asking _me_ that? Kakashi should be the one with all the attention not me." Kushina turned her angry eyes at Minato. "You are his Sensei, why are you not with him?"

Minato was a little taken back. He hadn't expected her to get this angry at some simple question, but his eyes softened when he heard her last statement. She was more worried about the youngster rather than herself. It was natural. She was a full fledge kunoichi, while Kakashi was still a kid.

"He's…he's…he's ok I guess." Minato tried, looking for the right way to put it.

"Ok?" Kushina asked in disbelief.

"Well he's not great obviously," Minato hurriedly corrected him before she decided he needed another jam. "But he's coping with everything extremely well. He hasn't said or done anything out of the ordinary. He still as skilled and alert as he's always been. He and Obito are still over each other's throats like always. I've talked to him thousands of times but he claims that he's just fine."

Kushina eyed him. "And you are ok with that?"

Minato raised an eyebrow in question.

"I mean, are you ok that he's so ok with this whole thing? He's only 13 after all."

Minato sighed. She _was_ right. It didn't matter how old or experienced or comfortable with death you were. Everyone shed at least a single tear when someone close to them died. Maybe not in battle. Maybe not a few days after they had died. Maybe not even that same week. But it happened _sometime_. And by the look of things, it didn't seem like Kakashi was going to vent any time soon. "We just have to leave him alone for now. He knows that no one will look at him any different if he cries for his father's death. We can't force him to feel pain if he doesn't want to feel it."

"I know that." Kushina snapped.

"Then?" Minato asked, looking back at her.

"It's just that…it's just that…" Kushina bit her lip to stop herself from saying what she had in mind.

"It's just that what?"

"It's nothing." Kushina quickly shocked her head, quickening her pace.

Minato opened his mouth to say something but decided against it. Kushina would tell him what was wrong with her when she felt absolutely comfortable with herself. He watched as the big black umbrella disappeared from his sight when she turned left on the next corner.

* * *

Orochimaru watched as Kushina walked down the street. It wasn't like him to be so interested in someone like _her_. After all she was only 17. Sure she was part of the ANBU, but who hadn't been? Even Sarutobi-sensei had asked Jiraiya to be part of it. He could still remember the day he had asked the Sanin for the training. He had to bit his lip not to laugh at his team mate's shocked face. After all it was no secret that Sarutobi preferred him over Jiraiya. So why was this girl so different? What was it about her that made him draw his attention to her so much? Sure she _was_ skilled, he had to grant her that, but she had to be. Sarutobi-sensei would never ask her to be part of the ANBU if she wasn't. There was just something about her. Something that told him that there was some great power sleeping inside her. A power that he knew could be useful someday to him. He licked his lips. He just needed to keep an eye on her. There was no rush. After all, if he did manage to complete the research he was doing on human life, he'll have all the time in the world to worry about this mysterious girl.

Smiling, Orochimaru turned around the corner, disappearing from sight.

* * *

Kushina felt someone's eyes on her. She looked over her shoulder but there was no one around. Shaking her head she took a step forward only to pump into someone. She glared.

"You _have_ to stop doing that." She hissed, kneeling down to take the groceries from the floor.

"Never let your guard down." An ANBU guy in a white coat scolded her.

"We are inside the village." She reminded him. "There is no need to worry."

"That doesn't matter. Things can happen inside or outside."

"Is there a reason you are here? Or am I just plain unlucky to run into you?" Kushina asked, taking a lemon a putting in inside the bag.

"Sandaime-sama wants to see you in his office."

"Now? But I–" Kushina stopped noticing that she was alone again.

She rolled her eyes and took the bag of groceries with her using the rooftops to head for the Hokage's Tower.

* * *

Sarutobi stopped talking and addressed the knock on his office door. "Come in." He said, standing up. He knew who it was.

"Gramps?" Kushina asked, peeping her head inside the Hokage's office. "You wanted to see me?"

"Kushina, yes. Please come in." Sarutobi Hiruzen gestured. "We've been expecting you."

Kushina stepped in, looking around curiously, wanting to know who exactly was this 'we' thing. She gasped when she saw Minato there, his face calm and collected as always. There was definitely something going on here. And something told her it was going to be huge.

"Ok so now that we are all here," Sarutobi started. "I have a secret B-class mission for you."

Kushina glanced over at Minato curiously, wondering what he too was doing here, but the look on his face told him that he had no idea what was going on. She looked back at Sarutobi.

"I would like team Minato to go on a surveillance mission to Whirlpool."

* * *

**Author's Note: **I know this was not one of my best written work, but I need to get things done before I actually get some of the action you guys love so much back on. One the next chapters I'll be sure to add more mystery, Minato Kushina fluff (because let's face it, we all love that) and a little more explanations to things that you might still be wondering about. I just warn you that I can't just go ahead and give you a full fledge explanation as to what and when and where things because that will ruin the story, but I'm really grateful to people who have been sticking around and reading despite of the boringness and monotony this story has sort of become. I'll make sure to spice it up for you guys, because at the end of the day, the only reason an author writes, it's for their stories to be read.

Also be aware that I was very sleepy when I wrote that thing, so forgive me if I come out a little over dramatic.


	7. Go Where I've Never Been

**Author's Note: **Ok people! I want to explain something because I've been getting a full load of inbox mail and reviews claiming that I was crazy if I was _ever _going to put Kushina and Orochimaru together. For the record: NO! EW! What kind of person do you think I am? No way! Orochimaru is only interested in her _power_, a power that you guys and Kushina will know about _later. _But for the record Orochimaru is **not **romantically interested in Kushina.

On good news, I have completed the last chapters of this story, which means the ending is already determined (well we all kind of know how it ends, but we don't know what really happens) and the ending chapter updates will happen sooner. Yay!

Thanks you all of those who reviewed!

* * *

**Let Go Of Yesterday**

** 7. Go Where I've Never Been**

"_Sugoi! _**(1)**" Obito said, looking at the dog ANBU mask in his hands. It had always been his dream to be part of the ANBU.

"You know that this doesn't really mean that you _are_ part of the ANBU." Kakashi quickly reminded his team mate.

"I know." Obito spat, recovering from his day dream. "But that doesn't mean it's less cool to have a mask."

Kakashi just rolled his eyes, and looked down at his mask. "Why do we have to wear this again?"

Minato smiled down at his students. "Because we are going on secret mission to Whirlpool."

"I know _that,_" Kakashi spat, annoyed that his Sensei was stating the obvious. "But why do we have to wear ANBU masks?"

"Because only the ANBU teams are being admitted over at Whirlpool." Kushina answered, appeared on a branch near a tree. "The old man doesn't want anyone to know that regular shinobi are being granted access to the country. So need to wear mask. Just remember no to break them, we have to return them as soon as we get back."

Kakashi nodded, seeming to accept that answer, and turned back to his team mates.

"When are we leaving?" Minato asked, looking over at Kushina.

"We have 3 days to make preparations. Sandaime is trying to convince Danzo and the council to let me go with you. They seem rather skeptical about me joining you on this mission." Kushina crossed her arms, walking over to where Minato was standing.

"Why wouldn't they want to let you go?" Minato asked, not really following her train of thought.

All they knew about Kushina was that she originated from the Land of Whirlpool and she was an inheritor of one of their Royal Families. Going to Whirlpool and investigating what happened there seemed like the sane option for her to get her memories back, and besides it wasn't like she was going to suddenly chance sides and attack Konoha shinobi. From what they could get from rumors, Whirlpool was under debris, so there wasn't really anyone she could side with. It would be just cruel to forbid her to see her former home. Or what they thought was her former home.

"I don't know!" Kushina stomped her foot on the floor, making her anger visible. "It's not like I'll turn around and suddenly betray Konoha. I'll be dead before then."

Minato raised an eyebrow at her. "What do you mean?"

"Come _on_!" Kushina glared at him. "The only reason they are letting me go is because _you_ are going with me."

'_Oh.' _Minato thought, catching on her train of thought. "I would never–"

"Don't worry about it, its fine." Kushina smiled at him reassuringly. "Danzo just thought it would be a better idea that way. You know how he is. He's having another of his panic attacks."

Minato grinned at this. "When is he not?"

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"

Minato and Kushina turned their gazes from each other to where Obito and Kakashi were yelling. Or more like Obito was doing all the yelling and Kakashi was acting as aloof as always. Rin just stood there, looking between then awkwardly.

Minato sighed, walking over to them. "Now, now guys. This is no time to be arguing–"

"He's started it!" Obito accused, pointing at Kakashi.

"Please, can you stop acting like a 4 year old for once in your life?" Kakashi said, in his monotonous voice.

"I'm not!"

"Are too."

"I'm not!"

"Are too!"

Kushina just smiled.

* * *

Kushina tightened her body, concentration on letting all her chakra flow from her hands towards her sword. Tightening her grip on the handle, she watched as her chakra made swirling patters on the blade, encircling it. She the focused her attention at the few left trees in front of her. Concentration she swung her sword over her head.

"Wind Scarf no Jutsu!" Kushina yelled, swinging her blade in the air rapidly.

Three gust of wind set out to smash in the nearest trees, cutting them off easily. Kushina smiled faintly trying to catch her breath. The only problem that she had with that Jutsu it was that it was hard to control its range and power. Plus, so far, it took a lot of chakra and concentration.

Kushina sank on her knees, gripping her swords handle to support herself. If she was going to get this Justus perfected, she needed more practice. There was no time for lying around. She tried to get up, but her legs betrayed her, making her fall once more on the ground.

"Be careful dear child." A voice said from behind her.

Kushina didn't even turn around. She knew who it was. "It's fine. Really. I have more chakra than any normal person. And besides, practice makes perfect."

"That doesn't mean that you need to push yourself over your limits. Part of being a good shinobi is being able to know when you are at your limit and respect it." And old man with conical straw hat and a fishing road stepped besides her, watching the damage she had done to the now bare forest.

"I thought that part of being a good shinobi involved pushing your limits." Kushina said, looking up at the old man.

"Ah that is true." The man said. "But you must only push little by little or else you'll fall over the edge."

"What–?"

"Why did you suddenly decide to learn Wind Scarf like this?" The old man interrupted her. "You've almost left the forest bare."

Kushina pushed herself up from her sitting position and gripped her sword tighter, on attack pose. "I have a big mission in three days and I just thought I'd be prepared to go. You know, so if we run into trouble I'll be prepared."

The old man gave her a sidelong look. "And this mission recurs you to learn something as complicated like Wind Scarf on a little time basis?"

"Well Jii-chan has finally let me to leave for Whirlpool." Kushina explained, getting prepared to strike again. "I'm just training."

"You are going to the Country of Whirlpool?" the old man turned to her, his eye wide open in surprise.

"Wind Scarf!" Kushina yelled, watching as her wind nature chakra flung forward cutting the few left standing trees. "Damn. I need more practice." Turning to the old man, she took a step back. "What?"

"Listen to me dear child. You mustn't go to the former Land of Whirlpool. You must stay here and let another shinobi take your place."

Kushina looked at the old man confused. "What do you mean?"

"You must not go. You must stay far away from that place."

"But it's my former home!" Kushina argued, obviously frustrated. "I need to go and see for myself. Maybe…maybe I'll be able to find something about myself. Maybe I'll remember something."

"No dear child." The old man, said gently, not really looking at her. "If you go, really bad consequences will happen. You will not be able to keep your sanity."

"What do you mean?"

"You mustn't go." The old man repeated, walking away from her toward the near lake where he always seemed to fish. "You aren't ready."

"But–"

"Kushina!"

Kushina turned to look over her shoulder. "Sato," she said, surprised at his intermission. "I thought you were on a mission."

"I was," he answered, jumping from a tree branch. "I just got back. Anyways, who were you talking to?"

"The old man over there–" cutting herself short, she looked around. "Where did he go?"

"Where did who go?"

"This old man with conical straw hat and a fishing road. He was just here, like a second ago." She looked around confused. "Where did he go?"

"Kushina are you ok?" Satoru looked at her worriedly. "Maybe you have a fever or something." He motioned to touch her forehead but Kushina side stepped him.

"I'm absolutely fine." Kushina spat, glaring at him. "Anyways, what's up?"

Satoru looked at her in concern briefly, before changing the subject. "I was just going to ask you by any chance have broken in somewhere recently?"

"Does my house count?"

"Be serious."

"You are not fun anymore." Kushina secure her sword on her back once again. "What do you mean?"

"Well…" Satoru hesitated for a moment, not really looking at her. "There have been these weird disappearances of scrolls recently."

"Scrolls?"

"Secret scrolls." Satoru clarified. "The Uchiha police has been looking everywhere for them, but they can't seem to find them or the one doing the break ins."

"What's so important about these scrolls in the first place?"

"They have important and secret information about the Village. The Hokage has been going crazy about this and has requested the help of the ANBU to look for them."

Kushina looked more confused than ever. "And what makes you think that _I_ stole them?"

"I don't." Satoru smiled over at her. "I was just wondering if you by any chance, you know, in your weird break ins into the Hokage's office have by any chance seen anyone or anything out of the ordinary."

Kushina thought about it for a moment. Weird things? Or people? Well there was always the feeling that someone has been watching her lately, but the feeling only lasted for a few days, so she let go of it. Besides that, it was the usual. Training with Minato about the Rasengan, which she still had a difficult time perfecting it. Meals at Ichiraku. Mind sessions with Inoichi and his team. The big mission to Whirlpool in the next few days. The only "weird" thing was that she could never get a hold of the old man that often visit her when she was training, but that was no one's concern but her own.

"No, not really." She finally answered, looking back at Satoru.

"Damn it." He swore, running a hand over his black hair. "Well if you notice something out of the unusual let me know ok?"

"Yeah, sure." Kushina looked at him concerned. "Have you considered the possibility that maybe some infiltrated Iwagakure nin stole them?"

"That can't be possible." Satoru said quickly.

"Why?"

"Because those scrolls are under the protection of secret passwords, with ANBU guards 24/7 and in the bolts underground. Not even the Hokage himself could get past all that security without a scar."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that we couldn't even find a fucking finger print of the person who did this. Not even his or her DNA. _Nothing_. It's as if they were some kind of ghost or something. Not a damn clue."

In spite Satoru's reassurances that they'll eventually catch the guy, Kushina couldn't take her mind of something that was screaming at her from the back of her mind. There was just something about what Satoru had just said that had made her really uneasy. She just couldn't tell what exactly.

* * *

"Stop!"

Kushina stopped abruptly in her pace and came to face with a masked man. He was wearing a white coat, which meant that he was part of the ANBU. _'An ANBU Capitan.' _She thought. She held her hand up and motion for those who were following her to stop too. A kid about 12 years old wasn't able to stop too soon and kept going thanks to the momentum. Kushina reached out, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him towards her protectively.

"We are here on Hokage's orders." Kushina said.

"I'll have to ask for your passwords, before I let you any closer."

Kushina nodded and looked behind her, a blonde man nodded and handed the masked man a scroll. He opened it and nodded.

"You may pass." He handed the scroll back.

Kushina let go of the kid and let her team pick up the pace once again. When she was sure that the masked man wouldn't say anything else, she tensed her feet and prepared to jump towards the next branch when a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She took her kunai for her kunai holster but stopped when she recognized who it was. A scowl clouded her masked face, not that it made a real difference.

"What are you doing here?"

"Hokage's orders."

"But why you in particular?"

"Does it matter? And besides I'm here to know what happened to my land. Hokage-sama knows that. He approved."

"What did you do? Sleep with him?"

Kushina clenched her fist at that. "Let me through."

A masked man in a black coat cupped her chin, making her look at him. "I will if you give me a kiss."

"Let me through." She warned once more.

The guy was about to make another joke, but noticed how tense her hand had gotten. He smirked. "You were always bad at self-control." He said, stepping aside. "If I were you, I wouldn't go in there. You can't really imagine what it's like in there."

Kushina just turned around and quickened her pace, trying her best to get as far away as she could from that guy. A few minutes later she came to a stop near where Minato and the rest of her team where standing.

"What are you guys doing? Whirlpool is–"

Looking ahead of her, all Kushina could really register was how her so called home was now practically none existent.

"Where are we?" she asked, although she already knew the answer.

"This is Whirlpool." Minato looked back at her in concern. "Or what's left of it."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Ok so before everyone starts complaining yes, I did steal the Wind Scarf from Inuyasha, but I just thought it'd be a cool Jutsu for a sword.

**(1) Sugoi: **It's like wow, or awesome in Japanese.


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